Personal Support Networks as Moderators in Dyadic Employee-Supervisor Relationships

Health-promoting management behaviour and the associated social support require professional and social competences of supervisors. The behaviour of leaders has an impact on motivation, commitment, as well as on the mental and physical health of their employees – and consequently on their ability to work and employability. Thus, from an entrepreneurial point of view, the skill of managers to provide adequate social support is an indispensable prerequisite for the economic success of the organisation. The two-way relationship (dyad) between the leader and the led, as a reciprocal, dynamic negotiation process, is in the focus of this investigation. For this research in the field of social support, the functions and effects of personal, social support networks have been considered. The question arises, as to whether they can compensate or moderate inadequate social support from supervisors and its effects on the employee’s state of health. From a differential view, social support networks can be understood as a matrix, providing the infrastructure for the production and distribution of a broad spectrum of social support benefits, which in turn represent the social resources of an employee – an important factor for her/his physical and mental health. Social resources in the form of social relationships and social interactions can help to cope with workloads and to better master challenges. In stressful situations, it is helpful to receive emotional or practical support from the support networks of the primary environment. The sample comprises of managers in middle management (N = 132) from different German automotive suppliers. In the examination, the Survey of Perceived Supervisor Support (SPSS), the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Evaluation of Social Systems Scale (EVOS) has been used. It was postulated that the quality of social support networks (mirrored by the EVOS-dimensions “quality of relationships” and “self-efficacy”) moderate the relationship between perceived supervisor support and employees self-rated health. Partly, significant correlations between perceived supervisory support and the self-rated health dimensions “emotional well-being”, “energy/fatigue” and “role limitations due to personal or emotional problems” could be determined. It was also possible to gain the important insight that the networking of employees outside the official hierarchical structures plays an essential role in coping with stress.

Development of Borrowers’ Solvency Assessment Model: Logistic Regression Application

Borrowers’ solvency assessment models can not only increase company’s profit, but also potentially decrease the impact from the negative economic consequences of the crisis. However, there is no consensus on such models. Considering the flaws in the scientific literature, the main aim of this article was to develop the borrowers’ solvency assessment model, which can be applied in practice. The most appropriate method for developing such models was found to be logistic regression, and this research goal is to identify the best modelling approach to achieve the highest borrowers’ solvency predictability. By implementing the best-chosen model, a nonbank lending company could provide a 42.5% lower total borrowers risk of default than without implementing such a model. Depending on the risk policy of the non-bank lending company, three methodologies were developed based on different assumptions about the significance of type 1 error and type 2 error in the company to determine the exact cut-off value

Influence of Entrepreneurial Traits on the Performance of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos State, Nigeria

Factors such as political instability, government policies, infrastructural inadequacy and entrepreneurs’ non-possession of relevant personal characteristics are connected on the high failure rate of small businesses in Nigeria. On the back of these identified problems the study focused on Influence of entrepreneurial traits on the performance of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Lagos State., Specifically, resilience, innovativeness, drive for achievement, and risk taking propensity were the entrepreneurship traits examined in relation to the performance of SMEs in Lagos state. Primary source of data through a questionnaire was used to achieve the stated objectives. Random sampling method was used to collate data of 125 entrepreneurs who participated in the study. Frequency tables and percentages were used for data presentation and the Regression analysis was used to test the formulated hypotheses, with the aid of statistical package for social sciences (version 21.0). The study summarised that there are significant relationships between the tested traits and the growth of SMEs in Nigeria. The study recommended that owner/ entrepreneurs should individually improve their skills in these critical traits’ areas. In addition, the government should provide institutional support in terms of training and development. Government should also create an enabling environment for business to thrive, through provision of infrastructures.

Organisational Innovativeness: The Role of LMX

Organisational innovativeness has been discussed as a paradigm industrywide (DeMiranda, et al., 2009) and as a national source of competitive advantage (Ludviga, 2012). Studies indicate that innovativeness might depend on leadership and leaders’ capacities to establish right organisational climate. Current study investigates if the quality of relationship between the leaders and subordinates might influence the overall organisational innovativeness. The aim of the research is to test how the relationship between leaders and subordinates (measured by LMX scale, Graen, Uhl-Bien, 1995) impacts organisational innovativeness. The quantitative data were gathered via a structured survey within 80 large-size organizations with a total number of 405 respondents. To test the model, the hierarchical regression analysis was used. The results showed that the quality of relationship between the leader and the subordinate plays a statistically significant role in organisational innovativeness. This study allows a more comprehensive understanding of LMX from the societal perspective. Implications for the business practitioners in Latvia and managerial literature on LMX and innovativeness are discussed.

Latvia-South Africa Economic Relations 1918–1940

The Republic of South Africa was the first country on the continent of Africa to recognise the renewed independence of the Republic of Latvia on 29 August 1991. This paper provides an overview of Latvian-South African economic relations in the interwar period. In the interwar period Latvian and South African economic relations were mainly confined to foreign trade. Latvia’s foreign trade in relation to South Africa (then known as the Union of South Africa) was more or less regulated by Latvia’s 1923 treaty with Great Britain. Latvia’s main imports from South Africa in the interwar period were fruits (including oranges, mandarins, apricots, grapes, pears, etc.), tanning extracts and materials, paint and varnish extracts and materials, raw wool, palm kernels and oil, and furs and hides, whilst Latvia’s main exports to South Africa were fish and fish conserves (including “Sprotes”), confectionery and chocolates, timber and timber products, paper and paper products, plywood, and liquors etc. In general, despite a growth in trade in the 1930s, trade and thus economic relations were of marginal significance to both countries in the interwar period.

Factors Influencing the Buying Behaviour of Millennials Towards Insurance Products in the Nigerian Insurance Market

Investigating the factors affecting the purchase of insurance products and services among Millennials in Nigeria was the main purpose of the study. The study was guided by the following research objectives; exploring the methods millennials in Nigeria prefer in the accessing of insurance products and services; The assessment of the impact of the methods of promotion and messaging on the millennial population in Nigeria with regards to the uptake of insurance products and services and; to investigate the factors that influences the buying decision among the millennials in Nigeria; These where the major objectives of the study. It was ascertained that majority of the millennial age group in Nigeria, prefers to have a direct dealing with insurance company when buying insurance products and services. A further revelation shows that millennials, prefers the need of having insurance brokers/agents taking them through available options, regarding their choice of purchase. The study confirms that the prefer mode of information search among the millennial, is the television and radio with the social media following closely. With mobile payments confirmed as the most preferred modes of payment. The millennial prefers to purchase insurance products and services that was marketed on the social media and the internet, due to their preference of the internet over the traditional mainstream media. Mobile advertisements are becoming more popular among the Millennial population. With an increase in age and net income, direct dealing with insurance brokers and agents becomes more pronounced rather than peer referencing and the use of social media.