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Article
Publication date: 30 August 2013

Itolondo Wilfrida Arnodah

This article aims to assess the awareness among educators of strategies put in place for peer teacher evaluation (PTE), and training opportunities availed to them in relation to…

1019

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to assess the awareness among educators of strategies put in place for peer teacher evaluation (PTE), and training opportunities availed to them in relation to PTE.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in secondary schools in three selected districts of Western Province of Kenya using a descriptive survey design. Data were collected from school principals, senior teachers, heads of departments and teachers using questionnaires, interview schedules and a document analysis guide.

Findings

The findings generally revealed that though all schools where PTE was practised had made some attempts to organise some awareness programmes, they were not focused as evidenced in the varied reasons that were provided to show why they were organised. The study also established that less than half of the teachers had been exposed to in-service training opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

There is scarce literature based on empirical studies focusing on school-based teacher evaluation (SBTE). Most of the studies the author was able to access were descriptive and on teacher evaluation in general. Consequently, most recent studies in Kenya, for example, tend to focus on topical issues like HIV/AIDS, gender, Free primary education and how they impact on curriculum implementation while what goes on in the classrooms is ignored.

Practical implications

Identifying and analysing awareness strategies and in-service teacher training related factors that hinder and/or promote PTE may help in strengthening the practice if the recommendations of this study are implemented. Findings of this study if accessed may provide information to policy makers both at national, local and school levels in Kenya on the practice of PTE. National and local policy gives legality to PTE while school policy directs the process and procedures for the practice at school level. This study also provides a theoretical knowledge that precedes the practice of PTE.

Social implications

Peer Teacher Evaluation embraces characteristics such as collaboration, collegiality and dialogue and so can enhance positive working relationships among teachers. Teachers in the classroom are known to maintain cultural norms of privacy and individualism. Peer Teacher Evaluation being teachers evaluating each other, therefore, removes the culture of privacy and individualism. If well practised, it may promote rapport and trust among teachers.

Originality/value

The study analysed the level of awareness and in-service training of teachers on PTE which is one of the modes of SBTE in secondary schools with the purpose of coming up with suggestions that may help bring about improvement in the practice in order to strengthen it in schools.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 37 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2012

Suraya Ahmad and Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman

The purpose of this study is to examine the relative efficiency of the Islamic commercial banks (ICBs) and conventional commercial banks (CCBs) in Malaysia. The study measures and…

4084

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relative efficiency of the Islamic commercial banks (ICBs) and conventional commercial banks (CCBs) in Malaysia. The study measures and compares the level of efficiency of both ICBs and CCBs from the year 2003 to 2007.

Design/methodology/approach

There are ten local commercial banks selected in Malaysia, which comprise of eight CCBs and two ICBs. The study uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the relative efficiency of the selected banks in intermediating inputs into outputs. The study then analyses the difference in the average efficiency score of the ICBs and CCBs using the Mann‐Whitney U test.

Findings

This study found that the CCBs outperformed ICBs in all efficiency measures. The finding indicates that the CCBs may be more efficient than the ICBs due to managerial efficiency and technological advancement.

Research limitations/implications

This study may be extended in various ways. Since, this study only covers a sample period of five years, i.e. 2003 to 2007, future research might cover more sample periods. Further studies could also take a bigger sample size by including both the domestic and foreign commercial banks.

Practical implications

The study indicates that the domestic commercial banks' management is well organised, reflecting the effective roles of a bank as the mediator between the savers and entrepreneurs. The technology used in the commercial banks may be up‐to‐date and fully utilised in the bank's operation. However, the commercial banks in Malaysia are facing the scale inefficiency. This means that the banks are unable to fully utilise their capabilities and capacities in generating the outputs from their resources. The findings also indicate that the scale inefficiency is the main factor that leads to the low technical efficiency in the ICBs as their size is relatively smaller than the CCBs.

Originality/value

This study identified the most and least efficient domestic banks and the finding could be useful to the regulators and the banks to identify the bank's ranking within the industry. Thus, it is hoped that the regulators are able to address the gap between the best and worst‐practices. The study may also improve the awareness among the least efficient banks to initiate the proactive measures in order to be sustainable in the industry.

Details

International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8394

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 October 2020

Rami K. Isaac and Annika Van den Bedem

This study aims to examine the impact of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market towards Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market towards Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

The research process involved an online self-administered method created with one of the leading research and web-based survey tools called Qualtrics. The questionnaire was filled in by 328 respondents.

Findings

Findings indicate that Sri Lankan is perceived to be a relatively safe destination. However, the likeliness of visiting the country is unlikely. The respondents with past travel experience (PTE) perceive Sri Lanka to be safer than those without PTE and are more likely to revisit. Male respondents have a higher safety perception of Sri Lanka than women. Most of the respondents see Sri Lanka as an attractive destination and would consider travelling there with children.

Research limitations/implications

The majority of the respondents are female and aged between 18 to 29 years old. The majority of the respondents’ children were already 19 or older and not accompanying their parents on holiday. This study has managerial implications for Sri Lanka’s tourism board that could work on developing a marketing strategy that focusses on promoting Sri Lanka as a safe destination in combination with all the other unique selling points.

Originality/value

To the best of author’s knowledge, no analysis has been so far published with a focus on the impact of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourist towards Sri Lanka. The aim of this paper is to close the existing gap in the literature and to provide valuable knowledge on the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourists’ travel behaviour towards Sri Lanka as a destination.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 March 2009

Richard K. Matta

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) of 1974, as amended , applies to securities professionals such as…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) of 1974, as amended , applies to securities professionals such as registered investment advisers, registered broker‐dealers and individual registered representatives and financial planners who advise, manage, or trade for investment portfolios of private employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is designed as a primer to familiarize securities professionals with the terminology, scope and subject‐matter of ERISA as it applies to benefit plan investment transactions. When appropriate, the regulatory framework of ERISA is compared and contrasted with the more familiar securities law regulatory scheme.

Findings

The various Federal laws loosely known as “ERISA” significantly impact securities professionals in connection with the marketing of financial products and services to employee benefit plans, including IRAs, and it is critical that securities professionals have a general overview of how they do so.

Research limitations/implications

The research set out is only a broad summary, and covers an area of law that is rapidly developing. It should not be considered a definitive summary of the law but a starting‐point for further, in‐depth inquiry.

Practical implications

Any financial professional seeking to develop or market financial products and services to benefit plans can use the paper to become familiar with the framework and terminology of ERISA.

Originality/value

This is a reprint of a paper first published in 2004, with extensive revisions to reflect sweeping changes in the law and new developments in the financial marketplace, plus an overview of “hot topics”.

Details

Journal of Investment Compliance, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1528-5812

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 September 2011

Ioannis E. Tsolas

The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to provide a new approach related to the definition of variables in disaggregating branch expenses and income for evaluating…

1387

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to provide a new approach related to the definition of variables in disaggregating branch expenses and income for evaluating the overall technical efficiency of bank branches by means of data envelopment analysis (DEA).

Design/methodology/approach

By applying an input minimization DEA model to a sample of bank branches of a large commercial bank in Greece, this study identifies pure technical and scale inefficiencies, efficiency and size relationship and returns to scale patterns. Moreover, it explores target setting strategies for inefficient branches.

Findings

Results indicate that branch size has an important influence on efficiency and that superior insights can be obtained by pure technical efficiency (PTE) and scale efficiency (SE), as constituent components of global technical efficiency (TE) than the information obtained from the analysis based on selected key performance indicators (KPIs) used by the bank under study.

Research limitations/implications

A direction of future research would be to extend the analysis to incorporate environmental factors, such as branch location, local competitive environment, investment portfolio risk, among others, into the DEA assessment.

Practical implications

The study shows that DEA which provides an overall summary measure with respect to global TE and its constituent components PTE and SE can be used to complement the in‐house performance management system of the bank under study for the evaluation of its branch network.

Originality/value

From a policy perspective, this study highlights the use of DEA combined with statistical analysis to support the reduction of burden by means of either expense reduction or revenue enhancement.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2020

Vanessa Laureys and Marleen Easton

The purpose of this study is to explore the empirical literature on the resilience of firefighters related to potentially traumatic events (PTE). This paper identifies how…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the empirical literature on the resilience of firefighters related to potentially traumatic events (PTE). This paper identifies how resilience is defined in this particular research field, reveals trends in applied research methods and examines the main topics addressed in previous research.

Design/methodology/approach

Web of Science, PsycARTICLES and Google Scholar databases were searched, as well as a secondary manual screening of the reference lists of all the selected studies and Dutch academic journals. Based on this review, 54 empirical articles were included in the current paper.

Findings

Firstly, this paper revealed that there is no consensus in how to define the concept of resilience in this specific research area. A second observation was that most of the selected studies used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Finally, the 54 empirical studies provided insights on six topics: the role of the organization, demographic factors, personal characteristics, coping strategies, social support and the reactions of firefighters in the aftermath of PTE. Comparing the empirical results was challenged by the different interpretations and denominations of the concept of resilience and the myriad of measurement techniques applied across the selected articles.

Originality/value

This literature review discovered some promising avenues for future research regarding resilience of firefighters. Moreover, it demonstrated that studying resilience is particularly interesting as the identification of supporting factors leads to a better understanding of how to enhance the well-being, job satisfaction and job performance of firefighters.

Details

International Journal of Emergency Services, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2047-0894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2018

Rami K. Isaac and Vanessa Velden

The purpose of this paper is to get a better understanding of the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the German travel behavior toward Turkey as a…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to get a better understanding of the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the German travel behavior toward Turkey as a destination in crisis, which has been considered one of the biggest losers for 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

The research process involved an online self-administered method created with one of the leading research and web-based survey tools called Qualtrics. This tool has been considered useful to reach a wider target, the questionnaire filled in by 305 respondents.

Findings

The findings revealed a strong tendency of a low safety perception among the sample toward Turkey. Furthermore, a large proportion indicated a strong unlikelihood of traveling to the country within the upcoming 12 months independently of a past travel experience. In addition, Turkey and Egypt were the countries perceived as most unsafe among the mentioned destinations.

Research limitations/implications

The majority of the respondents of the study were aged between 50 and 59 years and were employed as commercial employee, office or administration workers. The outcomes might be different for a higher sample size with a tendency of various demographic characteristic such as age and profession. Furthermore, the study should be repeated while focusing on respondents with accompanied children on holidays, which only made up a minority for the present research study.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study to examine the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the German travel behavior toward Turkey and their risk reduction strategies/preventive measures.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 August 2018

Fekri Ali Shawtari, Milad Abdelnabi Salem and Izzeldin Bakhit

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the efficiency types of Islamic and conventional banks. It seeks to show whether the efficiency level of conventional and…

4756

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the efficiency types of Islamic and conventional banks. It seeks to show whether the efficiency level of conventional and Islamic banks significantly differs from each other. In addition, it investigates the influential factors on each type of efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilises the data envelopment analysis in its windows version to estimate the efficiency scores reflecting the time variance and compares between banking models. The paper uses pure technical efficiency (TE) and scale efficiency to achieve the objective of the study. In addition, the panel data technique is adopted to assess the determinants of the efficiency of the banks econometrically.

Findings

The findings of panel regression initially indicate that the pure TE is higher for conventional banks compared to Islamic banks. However, the Islamic banks are more scale efficient than their conventional counterpart. Macro and micro indicators have different impacts on the both types of efficiency. However, the unique factors that show consistent influence on the efficiency types were loans/finance, non-interest income/finance/liquidity and GDP. Furthermore, the determinants are shaped differently for Islamic and conventional banks when the banking model is controlled for.

Originality/value

This paper examines the efficiency types using a unique window analysis approach to examine the types of efficiency with a longitudinal set of data from 1996 to 2011.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2007

William A. Gentry, Karl W. Kuhnert, Scott P. Mondore and Erin E. Page

Using “districts” nested within “regions”, this multi‐level analysis research aims to examine whether a climate of supervisory‐support at a “district”‐level (as measured by…

3537

Abstract

Purpose

Using “districts” nested within “regions”, this multi‐level analysis research aims to examine whether a climate of supervisory‐support at a “district”‐level (as measured by perceived supervisor support (PSS)), and “region”‐level unemployment rates were related to “district”‐level retention rates of blue‐collar part‐time employees (PTEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Blue‐collar PTE retention rates (from company records) and PSS levels (from a company‐wide survey) of a large global service provider were gathered. “Regional” unemployment rates were collected via publicly‐accessible government statistics.

Findings

The study finds that PSS levels of blue‐collar PTEs were related to retention rates. Additionally, through the nested relationship of the study, the “region”‐level unemployment rate was also related to PTE retention levels.

Research limitation/implications

Limitations of the study included generalization to other companies, inability to collect demographic data, sample size and sampling issues, and concerns about the measurement of retention.

Practical implications

This study revealed that supervisory‐support climate was important in PTE retention. This paper gives mechanisms that managers can use to improve PSS levels of employees. Additionally, since organizations exist in environments, results show that the external environment may affect organizational outcomes, no matter what occurs internally in the organization.

Originality/value

This study is unique since it focused specifically on blue‐collar PTEs, a much‐needed group of people to research. The paper gave ways for managers to enhance their relationship with PTEs, thereby having special value for managers and those who study managerial development. Additionally, the study gave evidence that organizations exist in environments, and factors outside the organization may affect retention within organizations.

Details

Journal of Management Development, vol. 26 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0262-1711

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 January 2019

Heyao Yu, Sujata A. Sirsat and Jack A. Neal

The purpose of this paper is to develop a validated food safety whistle-blowing scale and examine how training influences food handlers’ whistle-blowing, the mediating roles of…

1154

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a validated food safety whistle-blowing scale and examine how training influences food handlers’ whistle-blowing, the mediating roles of job satisfaction and food safety self-efficacy and the moderating roles of organization type and gender.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 734 food handlers from the food service industry and 306 food handlers from the food processing industry were recruited. A two-step psychometric process was conducted to validate the scale, and a moderated mediation model was used to examine the mechanisms through which food safety training influences whistle-blowing.

Findings

The results showed that job satisfaction and self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between training and whistle-blowing. Organization type moderated the first step of the two indirect paths and gender moderated the second step, thereby supporting the mediated-moderated model.

Practical implications

The results indicate the influence of food safety training programs on whistle-blowing behaviors and suggest other methods of enhancing employee whistle-blowing through human resource management.

Originality/value

A validated scale is lacking to measure whistle-blowing in the food safety context, and little research has examined the influence of human resource practices on whistle-blowing. This study provides meaningful insights for researchers by developing and validating food safety the whistle-blowing scale, connecting training with whistle-blowing, and provides useful information for practitioners by offering the methods of enhancing whistleblowing in both the food processing and food service industry.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

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