The objective of this research was to investigate the effects caused by the announcement of mergers of SBI and its associate banks i.e. State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travan-core (SBT) with State Bank of India on the volatility of the return of SBI stock during the event window of 300 days. In order to achieve the proposed objective, this study applied Generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (Garch) class model to the return series to model their volatility because it is considered an important tool for time series data analysis. Our results confirmed the impact of the announcement of Merger on volatility. The results suggest that merger announcement was expected to cause a reaction in the returns, which is related to higher abnormal return in lesser time through merger announcement for investors.

A workload is one of contradictive variables, whether it influences the performance of employees or not. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether or not the workload influences the performance of bank employees. It employs quantitative approach and path analysis is employed to analyze the effect of workload on the performance of bank employees. The research samples include 74 bank employees around the City of Blitar, East Java, Indonesia. The result shows that a workload had a significant positive effect on the performance of bank employees. It also has greater influence on employee performance through motivation variables. The managerial implication of the current research is that the provision of workload which is in accordance with the competence and comfort of employees may improve their performance. In addition, employees who have higher education level are able to adjust more on the workload because they have higher-achievement motivation.

This study examines the relationships between Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness with actual use of E-Services among 189 students from College of Business Administration (CBA) at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) for the academic year 2017/2018. Using a survey-based methodology based on TAM perceptive, the results show that Perceived Ease for Use (PEU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) had positive associations with Actual Use (AU) of E-Services among CBA students. Thus, the result of this study supports the prediction of TAM theory. The results of this study should be useful to educational policy makers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and elsewhere, as there is an opportunity of enhancing the E-Services in the academic context.

Financial inclusion is considered as a critical factor that contributes to the reduction of income imbalance. This paper uses a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model and two different financial inclusion index to examine the impact of financial inclusion on income inequality in 22 transition economies over 11 years from 2005 to 2015. The paper finds that there was a negative relationship between the financial inclusion index and the GINI coefficient. The paper also suggests some policy recommendations to reduce income inequality through developing financial inclusion.

This study focuses on the relationship between perceived corporate reputation and employee’s positive word of mouth intentions with the mediating role of trust in the manager. In addition, the study examines the moderating effect of value congruence between perceived corporate reputation and positive word of mouth behavior. The descriptive approach is applied and to test the research model; a quantitative questionnaire-based survey is used. The survey data are collected from 562 employees across multiple private small and mediumsized enterprises and sectors operating in North Cyprus by using convenience sampling method. In order to test the conceptual framework partial least square (PLS), is used. Some empirical indicators are conducted by using PLS-SEM to examine the reliability and the validity of the study. On analyzing the result, it is observed that the trust in man-agers partially mediates the relationship between perceived corporate reputation and positive word of mouth behavior. The results proved that perceived positive corporate reputation encourages positive word of mouth intentions. The current study fills the gap by analyzing the combined impact of corporate reputation and trust in a manager from the employees' perspective. The results lead to the-oretical and managerial implications related to strategic management.

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the performance of the industrial small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan. The factors include financial, management, marketing, technological and government policy and regulations. A qualitative method is employed by adopting a descriptive questionnaire research design. The data of the study are gathered from the employees who work at the industrial SMEs in Jordan. The results show that there were positive and signifi-cant relationships between all mentioned factors and the performance of SMEs, which indicate that when these factors are improved, the performance will also be improved. However, the economic factors have negative effects on the performance of SMEs.

This study examines the acceptance level of Accrual Accounting System (AAS) among the accountants in the public sector. Subsequently, this study examines whether the accountants’ acceptance level of AAS influences their motivation, job satisfaction and job performance. Using a cross sectional study via a questionnaire survey on 166 public sector accountants in the public sector, the study shows that the accountants accepted AAS. The study also shows that the acceptance of AAS among the accountants significantly influences their motivation, job satisfaction and job performance. Further analyses show that the accountants’ motivation to accept AAS significantly influences their job satisfaction and subsequently, job performance. The findings of this study indicates that acceptance of a technology could lead to positive attitude and ultimately, ensuring AAS implementation success in the public sector.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between strategic planning as busi-ness management dimensions and financial management (FM) practices. To achieve this objective, employees from various firms working in Kuwait are under observation. A survey questionnaire is developed, considering fifteen items of strategic planning and five for financial management practices. A final sample of 276 respondents is considered for investigating the empirical relationship between the selected variables. Both descriptive and traditional linear regression modelling techniques are applied. However, the study findings are pretested through model specification for all five items of FM. It is found that various strategic planning items are significantly associated with financial management proxies including staff turnover, safeguarding physical and financial assets, and development of financial budgets in selected firms. Significance of the study can be viewed as emerging contribution in the present literature while assimilation strategic planning with financial management too. Besides, the study findings are useful for both strategic planning and finance departments in the business organizations for their better future development. Limitations of the study cover limited sample size and application of traditional method of analysis. Future studies should be in direction while addressing these boundaries.

This article aims to investigate the effect of market-sensing capability among knowledge creation and process and product innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan. We propose that market-sensing capability will influence knowledge creation and process as well as product innovation. The study develops a model that contributes to the flourishing marketing management literature, i.e. the higher the knowledge creation, the higher the performance of SMEs. Data are collated from valid (n=304) respondents of Jordanian SMEs. The study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the analysis and the results indicate a positive effect of market-sensing capability on knowledge creation, and process and product innovation. Knowledge creation process has also maintained a positive effect on process and product innovation. Knowledge creation process mediated the link between market-sensing capability and process and product innovation. The study suggests that market sensing abilities of an enterprise are important for SME’s improvement which requires learning-positioning for firm effectiveness. In addition, managers need to harmonize their procedures concerning market sensing and learning. Future study can streamline the findings with a longitudinal design and insights can be acquired by exploring the impact of environmental factors surrounding strategic entrepreneurial orientation.

The research paper studies the topical problem of increasing the competitiveness of modern enter-prises through the application of creative methods of innovation process management. The expediency of the use of creative methods of the innovation process management is revealed, which is predetermined by the necessity of the formation of long-term competitive advantages in the modern conditions of operation of the enterprises at the level of management tools. To achieve the goals set in the research paper, a system of general scientific and special methods of studying processes and phenomena in their interrelation and development is used, namely: system approach, methods of analysis, synthesis, modeling, systematization, grouping, logical generalization, structural and logical analysis. The research paper presents the role and place of creative management methods in an enterprise management system, which characterize the ways of influencing the management of an enterprise on the activity and interaction of employees of an enterprise involved in the creation of innovative ideas, products and solutions. The place of creative management methods as a tool for achieving the goals of providing innovation-oriented development of enterprises is grounded, which is a stable prerequisite for ensuring the competitiveness of companies in modern highly competitive innovative product markets. Recommendations for implementation of creative methods of innovation activity management of enterprises have been formed; the procedure and the main directions of the solution of existing problems of implementation of the innovation process at enterprises are proposed. The results of this research paper should be considered in the context of their importance to stimulate innovation-oriented development of enterprises, in particular, in the context of the vital need for the formation of sustainable competitive advantages under the conditions of liberalization of markets and globalization.