The primary purpose of the study is to investigate the volatility spillovers from global economic policy uncertainty and macroeconomic factors to the Islamic stock market returns. The study focuses on the Islamic stock indices of emerging economies including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey. The Macroeconomic factors are industrial production, consumer price index, exchange rate. EGARCH model is employed for investigation of volatility spillovers. The results show that the global economic policy uncertainty has a significant spillover effect only on the returns of Turkish Islamic stock index. Similarly, the shocks in macroeconomic factors have little influence on the volatility of Islamic indices returns. The volatility of Indonesian and the Turkish Islamic stock indices returns is not influenced from the fluctuations in macroeconomic factors. However, there is significant volatility spillover only from industrial production to the returns of Malaysian Islamic index. The results suggest that the Islamic stock markets are less likely to influence from the global economic policies and macroeconomic factors. The stability of Islamic stocks provide opportunity for diversification of portfolios, particularly in stressed market conditions. The major price factors of Islamic markets could be firms’ specific factors or investors’ behaviors. The findings are helpful for policy makers and investors in formulating policies and portfolios.

This study analyzes human development convergence and the impact of funds transfer to the regions using σ and β-convergence analysis method. Observations were made in all Indonesia’s provinces in the period 2010-2019. The coefficient of variation calculation shows a dispersion in the inequality of human development, which means that convergence occurred. This is also documented by the clustering analysis results developed in the study. The results are in line with the hypothesis of neoclassical theory, which shows the tendency for provinces with lower human development levels to grow relatively faster. The dynamic panel data approach with the GMM model shows that a model built with explanatory variables for transfer of funds to regions may lead to the process of convergence of human development – 2.21% per year or 31 years to cover the half-life of convergence. This is a consequence of the Special Allocation Fund and the Village Fund, which positively impact the convergence process, and the General Allocation Fund and the Revenue Sharing Fund with negative signs slowing the convergence process. This evidence opens opportunities to review the justification of the weighting component in determining the amount of funds transferred to the region to accelerate the convergence process of human development.

This study aims to examine OL as a potential mediating variable in the relationship between IT and organizational performance. Organizational learning (OL) has been proposed as the mechanism to accomplish this task. Existing empirical research demonstrates that OL may indeed act as a mediator for the effect of IT on organizational outcomes. Also, existing literature discusses the use of technology in the organization, and the case for OL as the key knowledge process, and the intersection between technology and OL as a knowledgebased means for improving organizational performance. Many studies use a descriptive measure of OL despite the theory suggesting that a normative measure may be more appropriate. This study aims to address these concerns in a setting by using structural equation modelling (SEM) to compare the effectiveness of descriptive and normative measures of OL as mediating variables in knowledge-intensive organizations. Survey results support OL as a mediator between IT and organizational performance in addition to normative measures of OL outperforming descriptive measures. Implications for research and practice are discussed. To test the model, we will apply (SEM) structural equation modeling in the analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) on the empirical evidence collected from 218 Pakistani CEOs and top managers.

Quality internal audit (IA) plays a crucial role in accountability, transparency and preserving public properties. This paper gives a brief background of the IA system in Yemen and examines its impact with regards to financial performance in Yemeni commercial banks based on five factors: (i) independence of IAs, (ii) adherence to IA standards, (iii) governance principles implementation, (iv) size of the IA, and (v) frequency of internal audits committees’ meetings. The primary data for the study were collected through a questionnaire prepared for this purpose. Fifty questionnaires were distributed out of which forty-two were retrieved and valid in the analysis process. For the empirical analysis, descriptive analysis and T-test were used for verification of the research hypotheses. Results revealed that sticking to standards internal audit, internal auditors’ independence and quality governance have significant impact on banks’ financial performance, while the size of internal audits committees, as well as their meeting, frequently has insignificant positive impact on banks’ performance. Moreover, the country results show that the use of automated internal audit in banks has an impact on improving financial performance. This article provides avenues for further studies, mainly in developing countries, including Yemen, in quality internal audit and financial performance.

The study aims to investigate the impact of debt on corporate profitability in the context of Vietnam. The paper investigates the impact of debt on corporate profitability in non-finance listed companies on the Vietnam stock market. The panel data of the research sample includes 118 non-financial listed companies on the Vietnam stock market for a period of nine years, from 2009 to 2017. The Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) is employed to address econometric issues and to improve the accuracy of the regression coefficients. In this research, corporate profitability is measured as the return of EBIT on total assets. The debt ratio is a ratio that indicates the proportion of a company’s debt to its total assets. Firm sizes, tangible assets, growth rate, and taxes are control variables in the study. The empirical results show that debt has a statistically significant negative effect on corporate profitability. The result also shows this effect is stronger in a non-linear (concave) way, we show that the debt ratio has nonlinear effects on corporate profitability. From this, experimental evidence shows that the optimal debt ratio is 38.87%. This evidence provides a new insight to managers of the non-finance companies on how to improve the firm’s profitability with debt.

This study investigates the impact of bank regulation and supervision on the efficiency of banking sectors on 108 Islamic banks from 26 countries offering Islamic banking and finance products and services. The technical efficiencies of individual Islamic banks have been analyzed using the data envelopment analysis method (DEA). The ordinary least square estimation method is employed to examine the impact of country supervision and regulation on the technical efficiency of Islamic banks. The empirical findings suggest that supervisory power, activity restrictions and private monitoring positively influence the efficiency of Islamic banks. The study revealed that Islamic banks that are operating in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and middle-income countries are more technically efficient given the less stringent rules on capital requirement and we found that there is statistically significant evidence that higher capital requirements are negatively associated with the efficiency of Islamic banks. The empirical findings of this study are expected to help policy-makers and government officials to better understand how their decisions affect the performance.

Globalization has led to an increase in foreign banks’ penetration. It is argued that the presence of foreign banks may affect the banking sector of the host countries in several ways including their competition level. It is mentioned that the presence of the foreign banks could heightened the level of competition in the banking sector. Nonetheless, the impact of the foreign banks on competition could be influenced by the degree of information sharing in the banking industry. This study investigates the role of information sharing in moderating the impact of foreign bank penetration on host banking sector competition in selected developing countries. We employ panel data samples of 54 developing countries during the period from 1998 to 2016. The estimation is carried out using the two-step system of the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) regression technique. This technique is adopted due to its robustness to all forms of endogeneity. The findings of this study show that the presence of information sharing could affect the relationship between foreign banks’ penetration and competition. They suggest that improvement in information sharing by a host country may help foreign banks to improve monitoring and reduce the moral hazard and adverse selection problem.

The present research intends to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and leadership initiations among the marketing executives in Delhi NCR (INDIA), and seeks to uncover the predictors of leadership initiations within personality traits. The data are collected through online survey method using different social media platforms. A sample of 233 (male =136 and female =97) marketing executive’s responses were included. The data collected with the help of self-reported Big Five model inventory and leadership initiation test. The collected data were analyzed statistically by using descriptive statistics, correlation. and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that the age of respondents inversely correlated with leadership initiation. Neuroticism revealed significant inverse correlation with leadership initiation, whereas significant positive correlations were found between extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and leadership initiations, while openness to experience revealed insignificant positive correlation with leadership initiation. Extraversion and conscientiousness appeared as the most dominant personality traits among marketing executives, irrespective of gender, that positively influenced leadership initiation and appeared as the predictor of leadership initiation. In male executives extraversion and age emerged as the predictors of leadership behavior, while in female executives extraversion and openness to experience personality traits appeared as the predictors of leadership initiation.

The aim of this study is to estimate the impact of ownership structure on the performance of listed firms in transition economy. Buiding upon agency theory, hypotheses on such relationship are proposed. A detailed panel data of 502 non-financial companies listed on Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange and Hanoi Stock Exchange over the period from 2013 to 2018, and the system generalized method of moment estimation are employed to test the proposed hypotheses. To ensure the reliability of data, this study excludes companies that violate information disclosure regulations or that are subject to special supervision by the State Securities Commission of Vietnam. Some firms with inadequate information, firms that lack the financial data required for creating variable or firms that have inconsistent construction are also re-screened. We only collect the data of enterprises that have ownership structure of two or more components. Estimation results reveal that state ownership has an U-shaped relationship with the performance of Vietnamese listed firms, while foreign ownership and the degree of ownership concentration have an inverted U-shaped relationship with listed firms’ performance. The article provides governance implications that Vietnamese listed firms should decrease state ownership and foreign ownership to improve firm performance in order to boost investors’ confidence.

Past literatures have not studied the impact of real-world events or information on the return and volatility of virtual currencies, particularly on the COVID-19 event, day-of-the-week effect, daily high-low price spreads and information flow rate. The study uses the ARMAGARCH model to capture Bitcoin’s return and conditional volatility, and explores the impact of information flow rate on conditional volatility in the Bitcoin market based on the Mixture Distribution Hypothesis (Clark, 1973). There were 3,064 samples collected during the period from 1st of January 2012 to 20th April, 2020. Empirical results show that in the Bitcoin market, a daily high-low price spread has a significant inverse relationship for daily return, and information flow rate has a significant positive relationship for condition volatility. The study supports a significant negative relationship between information asymmetry and daily return, and there is a significant positive relationship between daily trading volume and condition volatility. When Bitcoin trades on Saturday & Sunday, there is a significant reverse relationship for conditional volatility and there exists a day-of-the-week volatility effect. Under the impact of COVID-19 event, Bitcoin’s condition volatility has increased significantly, indicating the risk of price changes. Finally, the Bitcoin’s return has no impact on COVID-19 events and holidays (Saturday & Sunday).

This study investigated the distributional pattern of meiobenthos associated with future deep-sea mining in the Korea Deep Ocean Study area present in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) located in the southeastern part of the North Pacific Ocean. Standing stocks of meiobenthos were investigated in benthic impact experiment sites (BIS) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology long-term monitoring (KOMO) sites during the 2008-2014 annual field survey. A total of 14 taxa of meiobenthos were identified. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon (60-86%). Harpacticoid copepods (5-26%) and benthic foraminifera (1-12%) were also dominant at all sites. The total meiobenthic densities varied from 4 to 150 ind./10 cm2. The mean value of total meiobenthic abundance was higher at BIS than at KOMO sites, but there was no significant difference between the two sites. The mean values of the number of taxa and biomass at BIS and KOMO sites were similar. The mean abundance of nematodes that were the most dominant taxa was also higher at BIS than at KOMO sites. The standing stocks in our study sites were relatively lower than those previously reported at other CCFZ sites. These results seem to reflect a low organic concentration in the study area.

This study examines the impact of mergers on the financial performance of the Jordanian public shareholding companies. The study employs data collected for a sample of 10 Jordanian non-financial public firms that were engaged in legal horizontal merger deals between 2000 and 2013. The data was collected from the published annual financial reports of the merging companies and comparative companies for three years before the merger and three years after the merger. Event study methodology was applied to examine the data. Four measures of financial performance (FP) were used, which are return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), earnings per share (EPS), and net profit margin (NPM). Two methods were used in the analysis – the change model and the intercept model using financial performance raw data and industry-adjusted data. The findings in general showed no significant impact of mergers on the financial performance of merging firms using the change model. However, by using the intercept model, significant impact of mergers on the financial performance was found on the sample of the study. The significant impact was found for mergers on the raw ROE of the merging firms, and on the ROA and NPM of the industry-adjusted firms.

The study examines the effect of environmental factors on the international harmonization process of accounting on small and medium enterprises in Vietnam. These factors include legal environment, business environment, and cultural environment. The data is collected by a survey of 100 accountants and 100 auditors on the factors that affects the international harmonization process of accounting. The T-Tests indicate differences between the answers of the accountants and auditors. First, for the accountants, legal environment has the biggest effect on the harmonization process of accounting; while on the auditors, business environment has the biggest influence. Second, while the accountants consider costs higher than benefits in the harmonization process of accounting, the auditors assume that benefits are superior to costs that businesses spend. Third, both the accountants and the auditors indicate that the harmonization process of accounting should not be applied for all small and medium enterprises. From the study results, the author has given a different evaluation method that Vietnam should implement for international harmonization with the required adjustments as per the suitability with the status of businesses in Vietnam. The process of harmonization in accounting practices should not be indiscriminately applied to all the small and medium enterprises either.

Foreign factors play an important role in the socio-economic development of each country, in which foreign direct investment (FDI), foreign aid and exports of goods and services are always given top priority in undeveloped countries as well as developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the various factors such as FDI, foreign aid, exports and economic growth in Vietnam. The empirical method employed secondary time-series data set during the period 1997-2018 to determine the impact of FDI, foreign aid and exports on economic growth in Vietnam by using a linear approach. For this study, data is collected from the World Bank and relevant agencies in Vietnam. An empirical model is built with a correlation and regression analysis between economic growth (GDP, current) and three independent variables (FDI, aid, exports of goods and services). The results show that the relationship between FDI (net inflows), aid, exports and GDP (current) has a positive effect at a 1% significance level. Based on these findings, the article recommends that Vietnam continues to seek effective solutions to maintain high economic growth rates by attracting FDI inflows, official development assistance (ODA), and increasing exports of goods and services.

This research focuses on identifying and measuring key personality factors affecting the job performance of salesperson working in the machinery industry in Vietnam. A total number of 218 salesperson working in machinery industry were surveyed. After evaluating Cronbach’s Alpha and using the regression analysis technique, the results show the impact level of personality trait factors affecting the job performance of salesperson working in machinery industry. Ordered from the highest to the lowest effects on job performance, these factors are: agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism. Five research hypotheses are accepted. Specifically, openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness have positive impacts on job performance of salesperson working in machinery industry in Vietnam. However, neuroticism has a negative impact on job performance of salesperson. This research results indicate the level of impact of personality traits on the sales staff performance in machinery industry. Many people apply to this profession as a career choice. Each occupation is suitable for certain personality trait, which changes very little during adulthood. Research also shows that each personality trait always has its strengths and weaknesses. The educational environment should create conditions for learners to develop their character in a natural way.

This study aims to examine the effects of factors related to management accounting systems and managerial performance. The factors include budgetary participation, decentralization, and management style. Furthermore, this research investigates the consequences of the management accounting systems on managerial performance and the direct effect between management style and budgetary participation on managerial performance. Survey questionnaires were distributed to both public and private hospitals in Palembang, the South Sumatera region, Indonesia. The sample consisted of 62 respondents from 15 hospitals Target respondents were all managers in hospitals, including financial managers, service managers, human resource managers, quality managers, and other managers. The questionnaire was distributed online to each hospital, and approximately five or more questionnaires were hardcopies. This research was conducted over less than six months. The data obtained were processed via excel files, then checked for conformity, and analyzed by partial least square (PLS) software with descriptive statistics. This study uses path analysis, which that is structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show that management style, decentralization, and budgetary participation significantly affect management accounting systems. However, management style and budgetary participation did not influence managerial performance. Finally, the findings indicate that management accounting systems are positively affected by managerial performance.

As an effort to achieve sustainable development and increase people’s welfare, financial inclusion has become the policy agenda of many countries. Therefore, the effect of financial inclusion on economic growth, poverty, income inequality, and financial stability in several countries in Asia has become the goal and this is the subject of this study. Financial inclusion is measured by 3 dimensions, namely banking penetration, access to banking services, and use of banking services. Poverty ratio below the national poverty line and the Gini coefficient are used as indicators of poverty and income inequality. Financial stability is measured by Bank Z-Score and bank nonperforming loans. The results from the hypothesis test shows that all dimensions of financial stability simultaneously have significant influence on economic growth, poverty, income inequality, and financial stability. On the other hand, the partial impact of financial inclusion dimension on economic growth, poverty alleviation, income inequality, and financial stability in ten countries of Asia has not been optimal. The derived results of this study is required to be interpreted and considered by the Governments of each country in developing strategies for increasing financial inclusion, so that the policy to achieve sustainable development and enhancement of people’s welfare can be achieved.

This study presents meteorological data integrity to improve environmental quality assessment in Yongdam catchment. The study examines both extreme ranges of meteorological data measurements and data reliability which include maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, dew point temperature, radiation, heat flux. There were some outliers and missing data from the measurements. In addition, the latent heat flux and sensible heat flux data were not reasonable and evapotranspiration data did not match at some points. The accuracy and consistency of data stored in a database for the study were secured from the data integrity. Users need to take caution when using meteorological data from the Yongdam catchment in the preparation of water resources planning, environmental impact assessment, and natural hazards analysis.

Global warming affects climate change and has an overall impact on all aspects of life. On the other hand, community behavior and disaster aspects also have an important role in people’s lives. This will also have an impact on regional development. This study aims to find the effect of climate, disaster, and social community on rural development. This study uses data on the potential of rural development from PODES 2014, and 2018 data collection on climate conditions and regional status is sourced from relevant ministries. This research uses Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression Analysis method, then continued with CHAID analysis to find the segmentation of the role of climate, disaster, and social factors on rural development. The results of this study found that all research regressor variables significantly influence the Rural Development Index (IPD2018), with an R-squared value of 32.9 percent. Efforts need to be taken in order to implement policies that are targeted, effective, and efficient. The results of this study can be a reference for the government in determining policies by focusing on rural development that have high duration of sunshine, cultivating natural disaster warnings, especially in areas prone to natural disasters, and need to focus on underdeveloped areas.

This research focuses on determining the impact of human resource management activities on the compatibility and work results of employees of Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) listed companies. The paper includes five parts: introduction, literature review, research methodology, research results, and conclusion and policy implications. The data are collected from the survey of 350 listed companies in HOSE, in which 315 survey notes filled with sufficient information are used for analysis. The paper employs both qualitative method and quantitative method. Group discussion of 10 experts is for qualitative research. Quantitative method performs analysis of Statistics, Cronbach’s Alpha, EFA analysis, CFA analysis and SEM model. The results of the research clearly indicate that human resource management (HRM) activities are measured through improving the ability, improving the motivation and improving the opportunity. While compatibility is measured through suitability, connection and sacrifice; whereby HRM activities of ability improvement have a positive effect on the job suitability and connection; HRM activities of motivation improvement have a positive effect on the job suitability, connection and sacrifice; and HRM activities of opportunity improvement have a positive effect on the job suitability, sacrifice and connection; Finally, the job suitability, sacrifice and connection positively affect the work results of employees.