The role of influencers\u27 credibility in shaping female students’ skincare purchase intentions

This study examined the influence of social media influencers’ credibility (attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise, and attitude toward the brand) on shaping female students\u27 intentions to purchase endorsed skincare products. A descriptive-correlational study was employed to determine the degree of agreement between the parameters of social media influencers’ credibility and purchasing intention, and to explore the interplay of these variables. Responses from 385 female students were randomly selected using the Cochran sampling technique and gathered using an adapted survey questionnaire. The collected data were subsequently tallied, tabulated, and evaluated using a weighted mean and a Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The study illustrated that the female students agreed on all aspects of social media influencers’ credibility. Additionally, the interplay of variables revealed that trustworthiness (r = 0.169) and attitude towards the brand (r = 0.347) are correlated with purchasing intention; however, attractiveness and expertise are not correlated. This implies that social media influencers are perceived as trustworthy and have positive attitudes towards the brand, influencing female students\u27 purchase decisions for endorsed skincare products. These findings have practical implications for brand owners who are actively present on social media platforms, suggesting that partnering with trusted and reliable social media influencers can serve as a valuable marketing leverage in their business. However, these findings are limited to female senior high school students in Cebu City, Philippines

Optimizing firm value: A panel threshold analysis of manufacturing firms’ capital structure listed in Dhaka stock exchange

This research investigates the complex interrelationship between strategic capital structure choices and their impact on the firm\u27s value. This study looks at 29 leading manufacturing firms, both in engineering and textile industries listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange, from 2010 through 2023. The analysis performs nonlinear threshold effects related to capital structure, with the selection of Tobin’s Q as the representative indicator of firm value, while the D/E ratio serves as the main explanatory variable. The study employs a panel threshold regression model, which identifies a critical D/E ratio of 1.51, above which the leverage effects on firm value become significantly negative. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis reveal that there are reliable financial trends among companies, where profitability and growth are directly linked to market valuation. The outcomes demonstrate the importance of keeping leverage at a moderate level to enhance business value and prevent the adverse effects of too much debt. This study improves awareness of capital structure in emerging markets, enabling policymakers and business managers to make more informed decisions and contribute to advancing financial practices

Gig economy and freelancing work in Algeria: A descriptive survey study

In Algeria, gig economy emergence was fueled by local telecommunications infrastructure’ and internet connectivity improvement, and labor market deteriorating conditions. This study aims to describe Algerian freelancers\u27 experience in the gig economy, the precarities, and inequalities freelancers experience with platforms. This research is an exploratory descriptive study. It uses an online questionnaire to conduct a descriptive survey on 60 Algerian freelancer active on freelancing platforms. Respondents were reached via LinkedIn. The collected data were analyzed using Excel. The study finds that freelancing in Algeria is driven by the growing availability of digital platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Local demand for freelancers remains limited. The gig economy in Algeria is youth-driven; gig workers are young people aged between 20-29 years old (65%), majoring in IT and Communication, active in the field of creative design, and mainly male (80%), indicating a gender gap similar to the existing one in the traditional labor market. Most freelancers are part-time workers, and in general, freelancing is a second choice in most cases. Algerian freelancers are highly educated, they use their professional network, work experience and client ratings and feedback to get new projects without needing for university degrees as signals in the online gig labor. They usually rely on ongoing self-study to develop and preserve pertinent skills. We contribute to the discourse into the gig economy by concentrating on the Algerian context as a growing labor market contrasting with countries in the global north. We provide insights into the relationships’ dynamics and the asymmetries the gig economy market reproduces

Volatility transmissions in Philippine foreign and stock exchange markets

As the furthermost popular measure of risk in many financial activities, recent developments such as initiation of new methodologies should be explored to keep up with the market dynamics. This study examines Philippine Stock and Foreign Exchange Market from 1 January 1987 through 1 January 2020. Modified iterated cumulative sum of squares (MICSS) algorithm is implemented to trace structural breaks in the variance. Local political events are blamed for stock market disruptions, but financial crises have an impact on foreign exchange markets. General autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model is then employed in estimating persistence in volatility and a framework to test for spillover effects (hypotheses of heat wave and meteor shower). Substantial drop of volatility persistence is seen in the model, once structural breaks are present. With respect to volatility dynamics, heat waves’ supremacy is observed for both markets

The function of food prices in management information systems on public trust

From this paper, we highlight the management information system (MIS) and its role in food prices and public confidence. The case study focuses on nine traditional markets that have existed for a long time until now. To find out the extent of the benefits of MIS developed by the government, we put some questions in a questionnaire distributed to 250 respondents. We focused multiple linear regression analysis on processing data that has collected based on interviews. The results of this important work divided into two categories (direct impact and indirect effect). Regarding food prices, MIS has played a significant role. From other findings, public trust, MIS, and food prices also influence significantly. In the next scenario, by involving food prices as a mediation effect, the contribution will also have a real impact because food prices can have a significant effect on both relationships (MIS and public trust). The price of food is an indicator that plays an important role in this finding. This is because these variables can maintain economic stability in a region through good MIS management in expanding public trust, especially for civilians who want accurate data related to their daily needs. This study\u27s theoretical contribution integrates the MIS framework, food price dynamics, and public trust to develop a more comprehensive approach to digital transformation governance

Stock portfolio and stock return in Nigeria capital market

The study of risk-return relationship and impact on efficient portfolio selection provides valuable insights for both individual and institutional investors in selecting stocks that offer optimal returns with minimal risk. The study examines dynamics of return and risk to portfolio selection for optimal stock return in Nigeria capital market during period January 2013 to December 2022, employing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression method. The study employs a 2 x 3 size-sort methodology to create 30 size-sort portfolios. Source of data for study were gotten from Nigeria exchange group (NGX), Securities and Exchange Statistical Bulletin, and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The findings result reveal small capitalized portfolios performs better with higher returns than big capitalized portfolios showing size effect, while market premium is significant statistically for all portfolios with positive coefficients beta. Hence, it can be recommended that investors should consider small capitalized stocks to build portfolios and considers market premium as an important risk factor to be considered when evaluating variation of stock returns in Nigeria

Influence of cultural intelligence and personal beliefs on the usage continuance intention of travel mobile applications

This study analyzes the influence of cultural intelligence (CQ) and personal beliefs on tourists\u27 intention to continue using travel mobile applications (TMA) in Can Tho City, based on survey data from 212 tourists. The results confirm the importance of CQ and personal beliefs in shaping tourists’ satisfaction with TMA. Specifically, the findings indicate that higher satisfaction with a travel mobile application leads to a greater intention to continue using it. Furthermore, this study reveals that metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ, and motivational CQ positively influence satisfaction with TMA. Personal beliefs are also found to have a positive impact on satisfaction with mobile travel applications. These insights highlight the key role of CQ and personal beliefs for travel businesses and agencies in enhancing tourist satisfaction and increasing the likelihood of continued usage of TMA

Efficiency analysis of risk management practices and their impact on income in small café businesses: The case of Battambang, Cambodia

Cambodia\u27s café market is rapidly growing due to increasing consumer demand across all age groups and a rising population. Influenced by Western culture, the younger generation is adopting new lifestyles and tastes, enhancing their quality of life. Improved economic conditions have also given people more disposable income for consuming coffee. However, small cafés, particularly in Battambang, face various management risks, especially in light of COVID-19 outbreak. This study aims to identify the primary risk factors impacting these businesses income and propose practical solutions. The study involved a sample of 80 cafés and in-depth interviews with 15 owners using statistical tools covering stepwise regression and Tobit models. Five risk areas were examined in the interviews: financial, market, operational, reputational, and economic. The results indicate a wide range of revenue, from $10 to$200. Even though some cafés have higher sales, their high costs and ineffective management frequently result in low profits. Additionally, according to the regression analysis, operational risks have the biggest impact on the income of small café businesses, followed by financial and economic risks. These results can provide benefits and wise decisions for all café owners in Battambang to enhance profitability and sustainability

Public expenditure and agricultural productivity in Nigeria

In a country like Nigeria, which operates on an agrarian economy, agricultural products serve as the essential foundation for sustainable development to thrive. In addition to serving as the main food source for a large segment of the population, the agricultural sector is vital in enhancing the GDP, thus remaining essential to the Nigerian economy. This study examined public expenditure on agricultural productivity in Nigeria from 1981 to 2023. An Augmented Dickey Fuller unit root test was employed to assess the correlation between agricultural output, total public expenditure, gross domestic product, agricultural value added, and the agricultural share of gross domestic production, which were found to be correlated in order one (1). In contrast, capital expenditures and recurrent expenditures were correlated in order zero (0). Furthermore, a co-integration bound test was conducted to explore long-term relationships, revealing that capital, recurrent expenditures, and agricultural production are interconnected in the long run. The short-run test results indicate that capital government expenditures and recurrent government expenditures do not significantly impact agricultural productivity. However, gross domestic product and agricultural value added are found to be statistically significant. Given the findings, it is advised that federal, state, and local governments increase their funding and capital investment in agricultural production. Establishing modern farming facilities would enhance large-scale production, consequently boosting GDP as well

Stock portfolio and stock return in Nigeria capital market

The study of risk-return relationship and impact on efficient portfolio selection provides valuable insights for both individual and institutional investors in selecting stocks that offer optimal returns with minimal risk. The study examines dynamics of return and risk to portfolio selection for optimal stock return in Nigeria capital market during period January 2013 to December 2022, employing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression method. The study employs a 2 x 3 size-sort methodology to create 30 size-sort portfolios. Source of data for study were gotten from Nigeria exchange group (NGX), Securities and Exchange Statistical Bulletin, and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The findings result reveal small capitalized portfolios performs better with higher returns than big capitalized portfolios showing size effect, while market premium is significant statistically for all portfolios with positive coefficients beta. Hence, it can be recommended that investors should consider small capitalized stocks to build portfolios and considers market premium as an important risk factor to be considered when evaluating variation of stock returns in Nigeria