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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 20 December 2022

Klodiana Kolomitro, Jenna Inglese, Denise Stockley, Jill Scott and Madison Wright

In 2010, the Ontario Universities Quality Assurance Council was established and became responsible for monitoring the quality of university programs, and each university was…

Abstract

Purpose

In 2010, the Ontario Universities Quality Assurance Council was established and became responsible for monitoring the quality of university programs, and each university was tasked with establishing institutional quality assurance purposes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the quality assurance process at facilitating change at one Canadian institution.

Design/methodology/approach

To better understand the impacts of quality assurance, the authors analyzed 39 self-study documents, which were completed for all academic programs at Queen’s University. Focus groups were also conducted with key stakeholders to gain more insights into the institutional change that resulted from completing these self-studies.

Findings

After the analysis of the self-studies and focus groups, three themes emerged as impacts of completing self-studies: teaching and learning, identity and collaboration and resource allocation and strategic planning. This study demonstrates that self-studies completed by departments have value beyond simply meeting the provincial mandate, as they are effective in catalyzing positive institutional change.

Research limitations/implications

The self-study documents were created for the purpose of institutional quality assurance process, not this research study, therefore limiting the data that could be collected.

Practical implications

Four considerations are provided at the end of this study to spark conversations at other institutions when reviewing and assessing the impact of their quality assurance processes.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time self-studies have been analyzed to evaluate the quality assurance process.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 June 2021

Chawki EL-Moussawi, Mohamad Kassem and Josse Roussel

This paper focuses on the relationship between the regulatory capital requirements and the supply of credit for commercial banks that are operating in the MENA region from 1999…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper focuses on the relationship between the regulatory capital requirements and the supply of credit for commercial banks that are operating in the MENA region from 1999 till 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

The application of the Fixed Effects Model on a panel of commercial banks in the MENA region has shown a negative relationship between supply of credit and both the capital requirements and solvency ratios.

Findings

The results showed that the idiosyncratic, the macroeconomic and the institutional variables affect the supply of credit behavior of banks. The robustness tests using the Two-Stage Least Square method (2SLS) also led to a negative correlation between the growth of credit and capital requirements. Specific macroeconomic and institutional variables have revealed the expected sign and are significant regardless of the estimated specifications.

Research limitations/implications

This work can be subjected to further future extensions. The explanatory power of our model can be improved by incorporating variables that reflect the corporate governance and structure of banking sector. Similarly, we can also include a variable that takes into account the increasing competition that could affect the stability of the banking sector and therefore the prudential banking regulation.

Originality/value

Previous studies that investigated only the relationship between capital level and risk-taking behavior of banks in the MENA region did not take into account neither the economic and institutional environment nor the impact of these regulations on credit (loans) supply.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 August 2023

Saganga Mussa Kapaya

This study examined the roles of public spending and population moderating characteristic structure of selected African economies on bank-based financial development through…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the roles of public spending and population moderating characteristic structure of selected African economies on bank-based financial development through credit to private sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sampled 37 selected African economies for the years 1991–2018, and it applied a pooled mean group (PMG) estimator to account for short-run and long-run causal effects, and confirmed short-run adjustments towards the long-run convergences between the variables. Specific suitable tests were also applied.

Findings

Evidence confirms positive impacts of both capital formation and final consumption expenditures on financial development in the short run and long run. The moderation of population structures on expenditure structures help to speed up convergences.

Originality/value

This work attests its innovation by accounting for the separate effects of the expenditure types, the moderation effects of young and mature populations for capital and final consumption expenditure on financial development among selected economies in Africa.

Details

Review of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2356-9980

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 March 2024

Laura Jarrell and Dale Kirby

This paper aims to examine the roles of quality managers at community colleges, their experiences balancing accountability and improvement and their insights into the future of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the roles of quality managers at community colleges, their experiences balancing accountability and improvement and their insights into the future of quality assurance.

Design/methodology/approach

This phenomenological, qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with eight community college quality managers to investigate their roles, experiences and perspectives. A reflexive thematic approach was used to analyze the interview data.

Findings

Four themes were identified from participant responses: quality managers frame and enable program quality, quality managers drive program change, quality managers cultivate a culture of quality and quality managers seek system change. The findings illustrate the roles played by quality managers as they work to improve college education at program, institution and system-wide levels.

Research limitations/implications

The decision of participants to accept the recruitment invitation might reflect particular attitudes, perspectives or experiences.

Practical implications

Quality assurance has emerged as a key mechanism for ensuring postsecondary programs are current, relevant and meeting the evolving needs of students and employers. This study advances the understanding of how quality assurance processes play out at the operational level and explores the experiences of quality managers as they navigate various quality tensions.

Originality/value

Quality managers play key roles in leading, evaluating and influencing quality assurance processes in postsecondary education yet they are underrepresented in the literature. The findings of this study shed new light on the aspirational and influential roles they play in advancing quality assurance.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2023

Shaoyi Liu, Songjie Yao, Song Xue, Benben Wang, Hui Jin, Chenghui Pan, Yinwei Zhang, Yijiang Zhou, Rui Zeng, Lihao Ping, Zhixian Min, Daxing Zhang and Congsi Wang

Surface mount technology (SMT) is widely used and plays an important role in electronic equipment. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effects of interface cracks on the…

Abstract

Purpose

Surface mount technology (SMT) is widely used and plays an important role in electronic equipment. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effects of interface cracks on the fatigue life of SMT solder joint under service load and to provide some valuable reference information for improving service reliability of SMT packages.

Design/methodology/approach

A 3D geometric model of SMT package is established. The mechanical properties of SMT solder joint under thermal cycling load and random vibration load were solved by 3D finite element analysis. The fatigue life of SMT solder joint under different loads can be calculated by using the modified Coffin–Manson model and high-cycle fatigue model.

Findings

The results revealed that cracks at different locations and propagation directions have different effect on the fatigue life of the SMT solder joint. From the location of the cracks, Crack 1 has the most significant impact on the thermal fatigue life of the solder joint. Under the same thermal cycling conditions, its life has decreased by 46.98%, followed by Crack 2, Crack 4 and Crack 3. On the other hand, under the same random vibration load, Crack 4 has the most significant impact on the solder joint fatigue life, reducing its life by 81.39%, followed by Crack 1, Crack 3 and Crack 2. From the crack propagation direction, with the increase of crack depth, the thermal fatigue life of the SMT solder joint decreases sharply at first and then continues to decline almost linearly. The random vibration fatigue life of the solder joint decreases continuously with the increase of crack depth. From the crack depth of 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm, the random vibration fatigue life decreases by 86.75%. When the crack width increases, the thermal and random vibration fatigue life of the solder joint decreases almost linearly.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the effects of interface cracks on the fatigue life and provides useful information on the reliability of SMT packages.

Details

Microelectronics International, vol. 40 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1356-5362

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 February 2022

Tamanna Yesmine, Md. Emran Hossain, Md. Akhtaruzzaman Khan, Sandip Mitra, Sourav Mohan Saha and Md. Ruhul Amin

The economic development of Bangladesh is heavily reliant on the banking industry, yet it faces numerous hurdles, including liquidity issues, capital shortages, non-performing…

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Abstract

Purpose

The economic development of Bangladesh is heavily reliant on the banking industry, yet it faces numerous hurdles, including liquidity issues, capital shortages, non-performing loans, inefficiencies and so on. Therefore, this study investigated the performance and efficiency of scheduled banks (state-owned, private commercial, foreign commercial and specialized banks) operating in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted using secondary data from annual reports of banks. The CAMELS rating system and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methods were employed to measure the performance and efficiency of banks, respectively.

Findings

In the overall bank rankings, results revealed that foreign commercial Standard Chartered Bank and state-owned Sonali Bank Limited came in first and last position, respectively. Among the four categories of banks, foreign commercial banks were the best performer, while state-owned banks were the worst. Only two banks, i.e. Citibank NA and HSBC Bank, were scale efficient while the remaining banks were inefficient. In terms of performance and efficiency, state-owned and specialized banks were deemed wanting.

Practical implications

This study proposes recommendations to the policymakers that could lead to more effective tactics for improving the banking industry's performance and efficiency.

Originality/value

As far as the authors are concerned, this study presents empirical evidence on the performance and efficiency of different types of banks and explores comparisons among them, which has never been done to this extent in the country before.

Details

Asian Journal of Economics and Banking, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2615-9821

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 February 2022

Alcides Padilla and Jorge David Quintero Otero

This article offers a review of the literature on regional business cycles (BCs) in emerging economies. The objective is synthesizing the existing studies based on theoretical…

Abstract

Purpose

This article offers a review of the literature on regional business cycles (BCs) in emerging economies. The objective is synthesizing the existing studies based on theoretical, empirical and methodological approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological framework includes the following stages: research questions, bibliography location, the selection of articles and the evaluation of the literature, analysis and synthesis, and the reporting and use of results.

Findings

The evidence suggests that expansionary phases last longer than recessions'; public expenditure shows a pro-cyclical behavior; and factors such as productive structure and international trade explain the synchronization of regional BCs.

Originality/value

Up until now, there is no research that performs a review of regional BCs in emerging economics.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 July 2023

Godwin Ahiase, Denny Andriana, Edinam Agbemava and Bright Adonai

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of macroeconomic cyclical indicators and country governance on bank non-performing loans in African countries.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of macroeconomic cyclical indicators and country governance on bank non-performing loans in African countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from the 53 African countries covering 2005–2021. The paper develops an empirical model to examine the impact of country governance in reducing macroeconomic cycle-induced adverse effects on bank credit risk. This research estimates Random Effects models and the General Method of Moment to examine the link between microeconomic and governance factors on bank non-performing loans. Stata version 15.1 was used to conduct panel regression analysis.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that the generalized method of moments findings contributes valuable insights into the persistence of NPLs over time and the specific effects of variables on NPL levels. The study findings highlight that the debt-to-GDP ratio, unemployment, regulatory quality, government effectiveness and inflation have significant relationships with NPLs, shedding light on their specific contributions to credit risk dynamics.

Research limitations/implications

The focus on a specific set of determinants for NPLs, which may not capture all the factors that influence NPL levels. Thus, the study did not consider the impact of macroeconomic shocks, such as natural disasters or global economic crises, which can have a significant impact on NPLs.

Practical implications

Policymakers should prioritize maintaining sustainable debt levels, promoting employment growth and controlling inflation rates to mitigate credit risk and reduce nonperforming loans. Also, enhancing regulatory quality and government effectiveness is crucial in ensuring financial stability and minimizing non-performing loans in Africa.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new possible solution to minimise bank non-performing loans risk by examining interactions of country governance regarding the macroeconomic cycle behaviour.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2022-0729

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 51 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 8 April 2024

Irena Szarowská

Government spending plays a crucial role in fiscal policy in any country, both as a tool for implementing individual government policies and as a possible instrument for…

Abstract

Government spending plays a crucial role in fiscal policy in any country, both as a tool for implementing individual government policies and as a possible instrument for mitigating uneven economic developments and economic shocks. This chapter provides direct empirical evidence on the development and structure of general government expenditure and its relationship with real economic growth in Czechia and the European Union countries. Compared to theoretical recommendations, general government expenditure has not been used as a stabiliser in Czechia and EU countries and has been observed to be pro-cyclical in the period under review. Granger causality analysis identified the direction of causality between the macroeconomic variables analysed and found that in most cases economic growth came first, followed by government spending.

Details

Modeling Economic Growth in Contemporary Czechia
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-841-6

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 December 2023

Alma Andino-Frydman

In this paper, I explore what shapes the identities of digital nomads (DNs), a class of remote workers who travel and work concurrently. Through extensive fieldwork and interviews…

Abstract

In this paper, I explore what shapes the identities of digital nomads (DNs), a class of remote workers who travel and work concurrently. Through extensive fieldwork and interviews with 50 digital nomads conducted in seven coworking hostels in Mexico in 2022, I construct a theory of DN identity. I base this upon the frequent transformations they undergo in their Circumstances, which regularly change their worker identity.

DNs relinquish traditional social determinants of identity, such as nationality and religion. They define their personal identities by their passions and interests, which are influenced by the people they meet. DNs exist in inherently transitive social spaces and, without rigid social roles to fulfil, they represent themselves authentically. They form close relationships with other long-term travellers to combat loneliness and homesickness. Digital nomads define their worker identities around their location independence. This study shows that DNs value their nomadic lifestyle above promotions and financial gain. They define themselves by productivity and professionalism to ensure the sustainability of their lifestyle. Furthermore, digital nomad coworking hubs serve focused, individual work, leaving workplace politics and strict ‘office image’ norms behind. Without fixed social and professional roles to play, digital nomads define themselves personally according to their ever-evolving passions and the sustainability of their nomadic life. Based on these findings, I present a cyclical framework for DN identity evolution which demonstrates how relational, logistical, and socio-personal flux evolves DN’s worker identities.

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