scholarly journals Entrepreneurial competencies and financial performance of farmers in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Nieuwoudt ◽  
Johannes I.F. Henning ◽  
Henry Jordaan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Principal Component Regression ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Operating Efficiency ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Entrepreneurial Competencies ◽  
The Relationship

Aim:The main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the entrepreneurial competencies of farmers and their financial performance. Setting: The study was conducted in South Africa among farmer clients of a commercial financial organisation.Methods: The financial performance of the farmers was calculated by means of financial ratios which were used to compile a single performance indicator: operating efficiency. The operating efficiency indicator was calculated using a financial-based data envelopment analysis. An entrepreneurial competencies instrument was used to measure the entrepreneurial competencies of the farmers. Ordinary least squares regression was used within the principal component regression framework to explore the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and financial performance.Results: The results indicate there is a positive relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and financial performance of farmers. Each of the individual competencies also indicated positive correlation between the entrepreneurial competencies and financial performance.Conclusion: An increase in specific entrepreneurial competencies behaviour may increase the operating efficiency of the farm. Educational opportunities exist to educate farmers on the potential benefits of using entrepreneurial behaviour to their advantage (to benefit their operating efficiency). Sectors involved with agriculture, for example agricultural advisors, financial advisors and educational institutes, should emphasise the importance of utilising the competencies of farmers.

A Calibration Tutorial for Spectral Data. Part 1: Data Pretreatment and Principal Component Regression Using Matlab

1996 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Geladi ◽  
Harald Martens
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares ◽  
Spectral Data ◽  
Partial Least Squares ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Principal Component Regression ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Statistical Parameters ◽  
Calibration Samples

Regression and calibration play an important role in analytical chemistry. All analytical instrumentation is dependent on a calibration that uses some regression model for a set of calibration samples. The ordinary least squares (OLS) method of building a multivariate linear regression (MLR) model has strict limitations. Therefore, biased or regularised regression models have been introduced. Some selected ones are ridge regression (RR), principal component regression (PCR) and partial least squares regression (PLS or PLSR). Also, artificial neural networks (ANN) based on back-propagation can be used as regression models. In order to understand regression models more is needed than just a set of statistical parameters. A deeper understanding of the underlying chemistry and physics is always equally important. For spectral data this means that a basic understanding of spectra and their errors is useful and that spectral representation should be included in judging the usefulness of the data treatment. A “constructed” spectrometric example is introduced. It consists of real spectrometric measurements in the range 408–1176 nm for 26 calibration samples and 10 test samples. The main response variable is litmus concentration, but other constituents such as bromocresolgreen and ZnO are added as interferents and also the pH is changed. The example is introduced as a tutorial. All calculations are shown in detail in Matlab. This makes it easy for the reader to follow and understand the calculations. It also makes the calculations completely traceable. The raw data are available as a file. In Part 1, the emphasis is on pretreatment of the data and on visualisation in different stages of the calculations. Part 1 ends with principal component regression calculations. Partial least squares calculations and some ANN results are presented in Part 2.

scholarly journals Self-compassion mediates the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and athlete burnout among adolescent squash players in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Walker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Potential Mechanism ◽  
Dispositional Mindfulness ◽  
Adolescent Athletes ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Athlete Burnout ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Dispositional mindfulness has been found to positively impact athlete burnout. Furthermore, self- compassion has been identified as a potential mechanism of action through which mindfulness is related to lower rates of athlete burnout. However, this interaction has yet to be investigated among adolescents. Objectives: To determine whether self-compassion mediates the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and athlete burnout among adolescent squash players in South Africa. Methods: Competitive adolescent squash players (n=158) from two provinces in South Africa completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion and athlete burnout. Intercorrelations were calculated between the three variables. An ordinary least squares regression analysis was performed to test the indirect effect of self-compassion on the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and the three components of athlete burnout. Results: Both dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion were negatively related to athlete burnout, while displaying positive correlations with each other. Self-compassion was found to partially mediate the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and a sense of reduced accomplishment (b = -0.075; 95% CI [-0.037;-0.012]), as well as the association between dispositional mindfulness and sport devaluation (b = -0.056; 95% CI [-0.099;-0.022]). The relationship between dispositional mindfulness and exhaustion was, however, not mediated by self-compassion (b = -0.002; 95% CI [-0.052; 0.049]). Conclusion: The effect of dispositional mindfulness on certain components of athlete burnout is partially mediated by self- compassion among adolescent athletes. Based on the current findings, interventions aimed at increasing mindfulness among adolescent athletes appear to be a potential avenue by which to reduce certain aspects of burnout, partially through increasing self-compassion.

The impact of executives’ perceptions of environmental threats and organizational slack on innovation strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengyuan Wang ◽  
Biao Luo ◽  
Yong Liu ◽  
Zhengyun Wei
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Organizational Slack ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Threats ◽  
Innovation Strategies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The paper aims to study the relationship between executives’ perceptions of environmental threats and innovation strategies and investigate the moderating effect of contextual factor (i.e. organizational slack) on such relations. It proposes a dualistic relationship between executives’ perceptions of environmental threats and innovation strategies, in which different perceptions of environmental threats will lead to corresponding innovation strategies, and dyadic organizational slack can promote such processes. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a survey with 163 valid questionnaires, which were all completed by executives. Hierarchical ordinary least-squares regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses proposed in this paper. Findings The paper provides empirical insights about that executives tend to choose exploratory innovation when they perceive environmental changes as likely loss threats, yet adopt exploitative innovation when perceiving control-reducing threats. Furthermore, unabsorbed slack (e.g. financial redundancy) positively moderates both relationships, while absorbed slack (e.g. operational redundancy) merely positively influences the relationship between the perception of control-reducing threats and exploitative innovation. Originality/value The paper bridges the gap between organizational innovation and cognitive theory by proposing a dualistic relationship between executives’ perceptions of environmental threats and innovation strategies. The paper further enriches innovation studies by jointly considering both subjective and objective influence factors of innovation and argues that organizational slack can moderate such dualistic relationship.

Quality financial inclusion and its determinants in South Africa: evidence from survey data

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kudakwashe Joshua Chipunza ◽  
Ashenafi Fanta
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Data Limitations

PurposeThe study measured quality financial inclusion, a more comprehensive measure of financial inclusion, and examined its determinants at a consumer level in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThis study leveraged on FinScope 2015 survey data to compute a quality financial inclusion index using polychoric principal component analysis. Subsequently, a heteroscedasticity consistent ordinary least squares regression model was employed to assess determinants of quality financial inclusion.FindingsThe empirical findings indicated that gender, education, financial literacy, income, location and geographical proximity determine quality financial inclusion. These findings could inform policymakers and financial services providers on how quality financial inclusion can be promoted through tailoring financial products for various socio-demographic groups.Research limitations/implicationsDue to data limitations, the study was confined to South Africa and did not capture digital financial inclusion. Hence, future studies could replicate the study in Sub-Saharan Africa's context and compute an index that captures digital financial inclusion.Practical implicationsThese findings could inform policymakers and financial services providers on how quality financial inclusion can be promoted through tailoring financial products for various socio-demographic groups.Originality/valueThis study proposed a more comprehensive measure of quality financial inclusion from a demand-side perspective by accounting for important dimensions that include diversity, affordability, appropriateness and flexibility of financial products and services.

Audit committee characteristics and the moderating effect of Malaysian code of corporate governance on IPO liquidity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amal Mohammed Al-Masawa ◽  
Rasidah Mohd-Rashid ◽  
Hamdan Amer Al-Jaifi ◽  
Shaker Dahan Al-Duais
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Initial Public Offerings ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Code Of Corporate Governance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to investigate the link between audit committee characteristics and the liquidity of initial public offerings (IPOs) in Malaysia, which is an emerging economy in Southeast Asia. Another purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of the revised Malaysian code of corporate governance (MCCG) on the link between audit committee characteristics and IPO liquidity. Design/methodology/approach The final sample consists of 304 Malaysian IPOs listed in 2002–2017. This study uses ordinary least squares regression method to analyse the data. To confirm this study’s findings, a hierarchical or four-stage regression analysis is used to compare the t-values of the main and moderate regression models. Findings The findings show that audit committee characteristics (size and director independence) have a positive and significant relationship with IPO liquidity. Also, the revised MCCG positively moderates the relationship between audit committee characteristics and IPO liquidity. Research limitations/implications This study’s findings indicate that companies with higher audit committee independence have a more effective monitoring mechanism that mitigates information asymmetry, thus reducing adverse selection issues during share trading. Practical implications Policymakers could use the results of this study in developing policies for IPO liquidity improvements. Additionally, the findings are useful for traders and investors in their investment decision-making. For companies, the findings highlight the crucial role of the audit committee as part of the control system that monitors corporate governance. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this work is a pioneering study in the context of a developing country, specifically Malaysia that investigates the impact of audit committee characteristics on IPO liquidity. Previously, the link between corporate governance and IPO liquidity had not been investigated in Malaysia. This study also contributes to the IPO literature by providing empirical evidence regarding the moderating effect of the revised MCCG on the relationship between audit committee characteristics and IPO liquidity.

scholarly journals The Determination of Parkinson’s Drugs in Human Urine by Applying Chemometric Methods

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Guzide Pekcan Ertokus
Keyword(s):  
Urine Sample ◽  
Human Urine ◽  
Principal Component Regression ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Healthy Person ◽  
Drug Analysis ◽  
Uv Spectrophotometry ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Chemometric Methods

The spectrophotometric-chemometric analysis of levodopa and carbidopa that are used for Parkinson’s disease was analyzed without any prior reservation. Parkinson’s drugs in the urine sample of a healthy person (never used drugs in his life) were analyzed at the same time spectrophotometrically. The chemometric methods used were partial least squares regression (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR). PLS and PCR were successfully applied as chemometric determination of levodopa and carbidopa in human urine samples. A concentration set including binary mixtures of levodopa and carbidopa in 15 different combinations was randomly prepared in acetate buffer (pH 3.5).). UV spectrophotometry is a relatively inexpensive, reliable, and less time-consuming method. Minitab program was used for absorbance and concentration values. The normalization values for each active substance were good (r2>0.9997). Additionally, experimental data were validated statistically. The results of the analyses of the results revealed high recoveries and low standard deviations. Hence, the results encouraged us to apply the method to drug analysis. The proposed methods are highly sensitive and precise, and therefore they were implemented for the determination of the active substances in the urine sample of a healthy person in triumph.

Exploring consumers' response to text-based chatbots in e-commerce: the moderating role of task complexity and chatbot disclosure

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xusen Cheng ◽  
Ying Bao ◽  
Alex Zarifis ◽  
Wankun Gong ◽  
Jian Mou
Keyword(s):  
Task Complexity ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Identity Disclosure ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have brought unprecedented business potential. This study aims to explore consumers' trust and response to a text-based chatbot in e-commerce, involving the moderating effects of task complexity and chatbot identity disclosure.Design/methodology/approachA survey method with 299 useable responses was conducted in this research. This study adopted the ordinary least squares regression to test the hypotheses.FindingsFirst, the consumers' perception of both the empathy and friendliness of the chatbot positively impacts their trust in it. Second, task complexity negatively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers' trust. Third, disclosure of the text-based chatbot negatively moderates the relationship between empathy and consumers' trust, while it positively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers' trust. Fourth, consumers' trust in the chatbot increases their reliance on the chatbot and decreases their resistance to the chatbot in future interactions.Research limitations/implicationsAdopting the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) framework, this study provides important insights on consumers' perception and response to the text-based chatbot. The findings of this research also make suggestions that can increase consumers' positive responses to text-based chatbots.Originality/valueExtant studies have investigated the effects of automated bots' attributes on consumers' perceptions. However, the boundary conditions of these effects are largely ignored. This research is one of the first attempts to provide a deep understanding of consumers' responses to a chatbot.

Are smart manufacturing systems beneficial for all SMEs? Evidence from Korea

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soojeen Jang ◽  
Yanghon Chung ◽  
Hosung Son
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Systems ◽  
Contingency Theory ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Smart Manufacturing ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Smart Manufacturing Systems

PurposeThrough the resource-based view (RBV) and contingency theory, this study empirically investigates the impacts of smart manufacturing systems' maturity levels on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, it aims to examine how industry types (i.e. high- and low-tech industries) and human-resource factors (i.e. the proportion of production workers to total workers) as contingency factors influence the effects of smart manufacturing systems.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducted an empirical investigation of a sample of 163 Korean manufacturing SMEs. This study used an ordinary least squares regression to examine the impacts of the maturity levels of smart manufacturing systems on financial performance. Moreover, the impacts on operational efficiency were analysed using data envelopment analysis based on bootstrap methods and Tobit regression.FindingsThe RBV results indicate that the higher the maturity levels of smart manufacturing systems, the higher the financial performance and operational efficiency. Moreover, based on contingency theory, this study reveals that the effect of the maturity levels of smart manufacturing systems on financial performance and operational efficiency depends on firms' industry types and the proportion of production workers.Research limitations/implicationsThis study shows that the introduction of smart manufacturing systems can help SMEs achieve better financial performance and operational efficiency. However, their effectiveness is contingent on firms' industry types and the characteristics of their human resources.Practical implicationsSince the effects of the maturity levels of smart manufacturing systems on SME performance differ depending on their industries and the characteristics of human resources, managers need to consider them when introducing or investing in smart manufacturing systems.Originality/valueBased on the RBV and contingency theory, this is the first empirical study to examine the moderating effects of industry types and the proportion of production workers on the impacts of the maturity levels of smart manufacturing systems on the financial performance and operational efficiency of SMEs.

scholarly journals The relationship between Chief Executive Officer remuneration and financial performance in South Africa between 2006 and 2012

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Bussin ◽  
Minute F. Modau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Suitable Model ◽  
Organisational Performance ◽  
Executive Remuneration ◽  
Ceo Pay ◽  
Evidenced Based ◽  
The Relationship

Orientation: The relationship between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) remuneration and organisation performance has been a topic of close scrutiny, especially since the global financial crisis. Optimal contracting relies on the premise that effective incentives will link organisation financial performance and CEO remuneration in ways that will be in the best interests of both shareholders and CEOs.Research purpose: The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship between CEO remuneration and organisation performance in South Africa between 2006 and 2012 and to determine whether the two constructs were positively correlated.Motivation for the study: The study provides an evidenced-based understanding of the nature of the CEO pay-performance relationship in South Africa. Understanding this relationship is critical to finding a suitable model to structure executive remuneration that will protect shareholders from over-remunerating executives in times of economic appreciation, whilst protecting executives from being underpaid in times of economic depreciation.Method: The financial results and CEO remuneration of 21 of the top 40 listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were analysed for the period 2006–2012. The research was a quantitative, archival study. The primary statistical techniques used in the study were correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.Main findings: The primary finding of the current research indicates that between 2006 and 2012 organisation executives have noticeably been moving away from focusing on short-termincentives, which are categorised as performance-related elements of remuneration packages.Based on these findings, it is evident that the relationship between executive remuneration and organisational financial performance has been experiencing a decline, especially since the 2008 global financial crisis. The decline has predominantly been due to a move away from performance-related elements of remuneration contracts by CEOs, creating a disconnect between CEO remuneration and organisational performance. The findings suggest that, to a large extent, remuneration contracts for CEOs are no longer optimal for the organisation and its shareholders, but are influenced by the propensity of executives to enhance their own remuneration. There exists a link between short-term incentives received by CEOs and accounting-based organisational performance measures; on the other hand, fixed pay linked with organisational performance measures continue to be eroded as organisations’ executives become more innovative as they are noticeably moving away from focusing on short-term incentives.Practical/managerial implications: A stronger test of the pay-performance link and the power of incentive design are required in order to ensure that executives are rewarded or penalised for poor performance. The question of how executives are paid also needs to be considered.Contribution: This research contributes to the literature on CEO remuneration by providing an evidenced-based understanding of the nature of the CEO pay-performance relationship in South Africa. Understanding this relationship is critical to finding a suitable model to structure executive remuneration that will protect shareholders from over-remunerating executives in times of economic appreciation, whilst protecting executives from being underpaid in times of economic depreciation.

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