scholarly journals Financial Inclusion, Community Capacity Building and Pro-Wildlife Conservation Behavior around the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Nashipu Thalut ◽  
Dobdinga Cletus Fonchamnyo ◽  
Molem Christopher Sama

The study examines the contribution of financial inclusion and community capacity building on pro-wildlife conservation behavior among rural households at the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, the east region of Cameroon. The data were elicited through the survey questionnaire administered on a sample of 279 households involved in the program of conservation in the areas. The study used a cluster sampling approach in grouping proximity villages into four zones and a purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the households. The objective was achieved empirically using three-stage maximum likelihood estimation techniques; factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The result shows that financial inclusion and community capacity building had a significant positive effect on pro-wildlife conservation behavior. The magnitude of the effect of financial inclusion on pro-wildlife conservation behavior was even larger than the magnitude of the effect of community capacity building. The findings suggest that financial inclusion and community capacity building had the tendency to reduce the decline in wildlife stocks as it promoted friendly behavior towards wildlife and its habitats. The study, therefore, recommends policies that support financial inclusion and community capacity building that are essential for sustainable conservation since it promotes pro-wildlife conservation behavior.JEL Classification: G20, O15, Q57


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prabhakar Nandru ◽  
Satyanarayana Rentala

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the financial inclusion dimensions from the perspective of beneficiaries (demand-side).This research additionally attempts to assess the impact of financial inclusion on socio-economic status of primitive tribal groups (PTGs) in India. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory factor analysis, the financial inclusion dimensions are identified for a sample of 520 families belonging to PTGs in India. In the next step, reliability and validity test were used to establish the financial inclusion dimensions and socio-economic status factors through confirmatory factor analysis using analysis of moment structures. Finally, structural equation modeling (SEM) had been applied for testing the hypothetical relationships. Findings The study documented five-dimensions of measuring financial inclusion from demand side perspective. The dimensions are as follows: physical proximity, availability, ease of access, affordability and usage. It was found that these factors represent the various dimensions of financial inclusion, which has a significant impact on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. Research limitations/implications The research results focus on dimensions of financial inclusion, which have an impact on the socio-economic status among the most PTGs in India. The research offers ideas to policymakers to outline strategies to enhance the access to and usage of financial services. Originality/value The present research is one of the first few studies that present the demand-side perspective to assess the financial inclusion dimensions of the “financially most excluded” groups – PTGs in India using a SEM approach.



2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viren Swami ◽  
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic ◽  
Khairul Mastor ◽  
Fatin Hazwani Siran ◽  
Mohammad Mohsein Mohammad Said ◽  
...  

The present study examined conceptual issues surrounding celebrity worship in a Malay-speaking population. In total, 512 Malay and 269 Chinese participants from Malaysia indicated who their favorite celebrity was and completed the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) as well as a range of demographic items. Results showed that the majority of Malay and Chinese participants selected pop stars and movie stars as their favourite celebrities, mirroring findings in Western settings. In addition, exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution of the CAS that was consistent with previous studies conducted in the West. Structural equation modeling further revealed that participant’s age was negatively associated with celebrity worship and that self-rated attractiveness was positively associated with celebrity worship. Overall, the present results suggest that celebrity worship in Malaysia may be driven by market and media forces, and future research may well be guided by use of the CAS.



2021 ◽  
pp. 001316442110089
Author(s):  
Yuanshu Fu ◽  
Zhonglin Wen ◽  
Yang Wang

Composite reliability, or coefficient omega, can be estimated using structural equation modeling. Composite reliability is usually estimated under the basic independent clusters model of confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA). However, due to the existence of cross-loadings, the model fit of the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) is often found to be substantially better than that of ICM-CFA. The present study first illustrated the method used to estimate composite reliability under ESEM and then compared the difference between ESEM and ICM-CFA in terms of composite reliability estimation under various indicators per factor, target factor loadings, cross-loadings, and sample sizes. The results showed no apparent difference in using ESEM or ICM-CFA for estimating composite reliability, and the rotation type did not affect the composite reliability estimates generated by ESEM. An empirical example was given as further proof of the results of the simulation studies. Based on the present study, we suggest that if the model fit of ESEM (regardless of the utilized rotation criteria) is acceptable but that of ICM-CFA is not, the composite reliability estimates based on the above two models should be similar. If the target factor loadings are relatively small, researchers should increase the number of indicators per factor or increase the sample size.



SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110223
Author(s):  
Nabia Luqman Siddiquei ◽  
Ruhi Khalid

The present study aimed to develop an indigenous measure of learning styles for e-learners in Pakistan and to establish its psychometric properties. The objectives of the study were attained via three studies. First, the items for the development of the Learning Style Scale for e-Learners (e-LSS) were generated empirically based on a 5-point Likert-type scale. In Study I, the internal consistency and dimensionality of the measure were determined by sampling 360 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years through a convenient sampling technique, whereas other demographic characteristics were kept in close consideration. For this purpose, exploratory factor analysis was utilized. In Study II of scale development, the factor structure that emerged in Study I was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling. In Study III, the convergent and divergent validities of the newly constructed scale were established by correlating scores with preestablished scale scores that assess the similar construct (i.e., LSS) and with scores on the discriminant construct (i.e., Solving Problems Survey). The sample for this study consisted of 80 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years. A total of 29 items were confirmed in the final scale with 8 distinctive factors (namely, visual, auditory, kinesthetic, global, analytical, individual, collaborative, and technological type) with sound psychometric properties. To conclude, the newly constructed scale was a significant addition to assess learning styles particularly of e-learners in the context of Pakistan.



2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammed Shafi M.K ◽  
M. Ravindar Reddy

PurposeThe paper aims to study the outreach and performance of business correspondent (BC) models, which are implemented as a subsidiary agent of banks to accelerate the financial inclusion (FI) mission in India. In this regard, the study illustrates BC's products and services rendered to customers, forms of delivery channels and BC's view on banking services and Kiosk-based BC programs.Design/methodology/approachThe current paper is an empirical study based on surveying 200 Kiosk-based BCs working in the state of Kerala. After the preliminary screening analysis of the data with outlier deletion, removal of missing values and normality test, both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were executed followed by reliability test, convergent and discriminant validity tests. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CBSEM) was performed for CFA and inferential tests were carried out by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) and Eviews.FindingsChiefly, eight operational forms of BCs were found from the field survey. Hypothetical tests show the significant impact of the serviceability of banks on BC's profitability. Validity tests such as average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability (CR), maximum shared variance (MSV) and average shared variance (ASV) were established after the removal of the cross-loaded items of the questionnaire from the rotated component matrix. BCs perform main banking services especially bank account opening facility and Akshaya E-Centers are widely used for this model as Kiosk banking in the surveyed state.Originality/valueSo far, no study has encompassed empirical research on performance analysis and outreach of the BC model in the state of Kerala where this BC model well functions. Since the study is a novel form of banking channelization for FI, the study can contribute to understanding the further feasibility and future dimension of the model based on experimental views of BCs.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Παναγιώτης Ιωακειμίδης

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αποσκοπεί στο να καταγράψει την ικανοποίηση των επισκεπτών από τις παρεχόμενες υπηρεσίες στα θεματικά μουσεία της Ελλάδας, την πρόθεση συμπεριφοράς των επισκεπτών και κατά πόσο τεχνικές του τουριστικού μάρκετινγκ λαμβάνουν χώρα στα θεματικά μουσεία. Έγινε μία προσπάθεια να καταγραφούν οι απόψεις των ανθρώπων των θεματικών μουσείων και η αντίληψή τους σχετικά με το τουριστικό μάρκετινγκ, οι αντιλήψεις των επισκεπτών σχετικά με την εμπειρία που βιώνουν σε ένα θεματικό μουσείο, ο βαθμός ικανοποίησης τους, η υφιστάμενη κατάσταση που επικρατεί στα θεματικά μουσεία της χώρας και οι ενδεχόμενες αλλαγές που μπορούν να προκύψουν με απώτερο σκοπό την αύξηση της επισκεψιμότητας. Ένα αξιοσημείωτο της παρούσας έρευνας, είναι ένας σημαντικός αριθμός προσωπικών συνεντεύξεων με κατοίκους περιμετρικά των μουσείων που ερευνήθηκαν και η προσπάθεια καταγραφής των απόψεων και αντιλήψεων τους για τα μουσεία αυτά.Διενεργήθηκε επίσης μία ποσοτική έρευνα σε επισκέπτες θεματικών μουσείων της χώρας μας αλλά και στο ανθρώπινο δυναμικό που εργάζεται σε πολιτιστικούς οργανισμούς, καθώς και εκπαιδευτικούς. Διακρίνοντας τα μουσεία σε δημόσια και ιδιωτικά, σημαντική ήταν η καταγραφή απόψεων ότι στα περισσότερα δημόσια θεματικά μουσεία τα οποία λειτουργούν κάτω από την επίβλεψη του δημόσιου φορέα, δεν υπάρχουν συχνά δυνατότητες για καινοτομία και πρωτοτυπία. Τα πορίσματα της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι αρκετά σημαντικά λόγω της έλλειψης προηγούμενης έρευνας επάνω στα θεματικά μουσεία της Ελλάδας, από την οπτική του μάρκετινγκ και την αναγκαιότητα αυτού. Η πλειονότητα των ανθρώπων των θεματικών μουσείων με τους οποίους ήρθα σε επαφή, εντοπίζουν την ανάγκη για τεχνικές τουριστικού μάρκετινγκ στα μουσεία καθώς όλοι αντιλαμβάνονται ότι οι επισκέπτες αναζητούν ποιοτικότερες ψυχαγωγικές επιλογές, έχουν περισσότερες απαιτήσεις επισκεπτόμενοι ένα θεματικό μουσείο και ευελπιστούν σε μία βιωματική και διαδραστική εμπειρία που θα τους μείνει αξέχαστη. Σε αυτό το εγχείρημα, συνεργός είναι τα ποικίλα οπτικοακουστικά μέσα των νέων τεχνολογιών που ενισχύουν το βιωματικό χαρακτήρα της επίσκεψης και ερευνώνται στη διατριβή. Η παρούσα διατριβή αποτελεί μία πρώτη προσπάθεια χαρτογράφησης των τεχνικών τουριστικού μάρκετινγκ που χρησιμοποιούν τα θεματικά μουσεία της χώρας , τις σημαντικές ιδιαιτερότητες του τουρισμού που έχουν άμεση επίδραση στην επισκεψιμότητα των θεματικών μουσείων και τέλος προτάσσει ενέργειες και τεχνικές μάρκετινγκ για να δημιουργηθεί ένας ενάρετος κύκλος πολιτισμού - ψυχαγωγίας - οικονομίας. Για την επεξεργασία των δεδομένων της ποσοτικής έρευνας χρησιμοποιήθηκε το στατιστικό εργαλείο SPSS, αναλύθηκαν τα ευρήματα της Διερευνητικής Ανάλυσης Παραγόντων (Exploratory Factor Analysis) και των τεστ αξιοπιστίας με τον δείκτη Cronbach’s Alpha, εφαρμόζοντας και την μέθοδο Μοντελοποίησης Δομικών Εξισώσεων (Structural Equation Modeling, SEM) για τον έλεγχο των ερευνητικών υποθέσεων. Οι ερευνητικές υποθέσεις δημιουργήθηκαν έπειτα από ενδελεχή έρευνα μοντέλων που εφαρμόστηκαν σε προηγμένες μουσειολογικά χώρες, όπως η Ισπανία, η Ιταλία, η Ολλανδία κ.α. και μπορούν να ληφθούν σοβαρά υπόψιν στο κοινωνικό-οικονομικό περιβάλλον της Ελλάδας. Απώτερος στόχος του ερευνητικού μοντέλου είναι εάν ο επισκέπτης θα οδηγηθεί σε μελλοντική επίσκεψη (revisit ) ή θα αποτελέσει ο ίδιος κινητή διαφήμιση word-of-mouth του μουσείου που επισκέφθηκε.Η έρευνα αποτελεί οδηγό για μελλοντικές έρευνες που θα πλαισιώσουν ή θα συμπεριλάβουν τα θεματικά μουσεία για νέες μελέτες, όπως για παράδειγμα πολιτιστικές διαδρομές και είναι ένα χρήσιμο εργαλείο που έρχεται να καλύψει το ερευνητικό κενό που υπάρχει γύρω από το είδος των μουσείων αυτών.



2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 537-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahed Ghaderi ◽  
Gelareh Abooali ◽  
Joan Henderson


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