11,019 research outputs found
Toolkit on tackling error, fraud and corruption in social protection programs
This toolkit is intended to provide a concise but thorough resource for social protection practitioners on how to minimize error, fraud and corruption in their program(s). It is organized in five sections. The first section introduces the topic, by clarifying the key concepts and spelling out the rationale for this activity. The second section provides a generic framework for combating error, fraud, and corruption (EFC), developed around four building blocks of prevention; detection; deterrence; and measurement. The third section reviews the instruments, tools and mechanisms used to combat EFC in social protection programs, structured by strategic actions (prevention; detection; deterrence), by level of government and over time (how these tools and instruments can be developed over time). Section four includes generic terms of reference for the assessment of the mechanisms for combating EFC in social protection programs. The last section summarizes the main findings for three such diagnostics from the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ukraine.Public Sector Corruption&Anticorruption Measures,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,E-Business,Debt Markets,Emerging Markets
Customer retention
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.
Johannesburg, May 2018The aim of this study is to model the probability of a customer to attrite/defect from a bank where, for example, the bank is not their preferred/primary bank for salary deposits. The termination of deposit inflow serves as the outcome parameter and the random forest modelling technique was used to predict the outcome, in which new data sources (transactional data) were explored to add predictive power. The conventional logistic regression modelling technique was used to benchmark the random forest’s results.
It was found that the random forest model slightly overfit during the training process and loses predictive power during validation and out of training period data. The random forest model, however, remains predictive and performs better than logistic regression at a cut-off probability of 20%.MT 201
High Growth Firms in Scotland
High growth firms (HGFs) are widely thought to be a key force driving economic growth in modern advanced economies (Acs et al, 2008; BERR, 2008; Henrekson and Johansson, 2010). One of the central aims of the current economic strategy of the Scottish Government is to provide responsive and focused enterprise support to increase the number of highly successful, competitive businesses (Scottish Government, 2007). Hence, for the past decade there have been a number of policy initiatives designed to stimulate high growth entrepreneurship in Scotland. Many of these policies have had a strong technology focus. Given the importance these firms have for a region’s economic growth potential and the policy attention they are beginning to receive, it was felt to be important that Scottish Enterprise develops a deeper understanding of these important generators of wealth creation in the Scottish economy. This report examines HGFs in Scotland from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives
Strategies of Small Business Owners to Acquire Federal Government Contracts
Small business owners are not acquiring U.S. federal government contracts at the government established target rate. The government\u27s small business procurement goals remain unmet, which represents an underutilized source of revenues for many small business owners. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies of 3 small business owners operating in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to acquire federal government contracts to increase profitability. The thematic findings were in the context of the resource-based view as the conceptual framework. The participants answered questions in semistructured interviews and provided organizational documents for review. Triangulation of multiple data sources and the constant comparative data analysis method led to 3 major themes: planning to target both government and commercial civilian customers through a top-down approach; developing core competencies including backgrounds and experiences and staffing choices to improve chances of success in obtaining government contracts; and knowing the company\u27s audience, assets, and niche, which encompassed essential knowledge stemming from education and training oriented toward successful government contract work. Findings included the importance of planning before embarking on a process to bid for government contracts. Application of the findings may lead to a social change of higher small business revenues and lower unemployment, support for innovation, stimulation of the economy, and increased tax revenues to sustain government programs that can benefit society in genera
E-Business Strategy to Adopt Electronic Banking Services in Ethiopia
E-banking services in Ethiopia are increasing among low-income populations; however, with over 53 million mobile service users countrywide, more than 85% of the population still lacks access to banking services. A single case study was used to explore e-business strategies that bank managers use to promote the adoption of electronic banking services to the unbanked population in Ethiopia. The extended resource-based view of strategy served as the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected from interviews with 12 experienced bank managers from leading commercial bank in Ethiopia. Data were analyzed using coding techniques and word clustering, with the help of qualitative data analysis software. After member checking and methodological triangulation, data were sorted into 5 themes including ensuring leadership, creating accessibility, fostering customers\u27 acceptance, leveraging unique features and organizational resources, and building an e-banking ecosystem. The result showed that bank managers need to develop a customer-centric organizational posture and they should focus to build e-banking ecosystem inside and outside the country so that they can realize their vision to become global competitors. The findings from the study may contribute to positive social change for the unbanked communities in Ethiopia by informing bank managers options of e-banking adoption strategies thereby improve the convenience and accessibility of banking services
Effect of Promotional Mix Elements on Sales Volume of Financial Institutions in Kenya: Case Study of Kenya Post Office Savings Bank
Aims: The study sought to evaluate the influence of promotional mix elements on sales volume of financial institutions in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to evaluate the extent to which sales promotion affect sales volume of financial institutions in Kenya; to assess the extent to which personal selling affect sales volume of financial institutions in Kenya; to investigate the extent to which direct marketing affect sales volume of financial institutions in Kenya; and to assess the extent to which advertising affects sales volume of financial institutions in Kenya. The promotional mix elements comprise of advertising, sales promotion; personal selling, direct marketing and public relations. However, for purposes of this study, only advertising, sales promotion; personal selling and direct marketing were considered.Place and duration of the study: The study focused on the staff of finance department, marketing department and sales representatives and operation department of Kenya Post office savings Bank Headquarters in Nairobi even though the bank has a wide branch network. Design: The study adopted a descriptive research design. Methodology applied: Population of the study comprised of the staff of finance department, marketing department and sales representatives and operation department of Kenya Post office savings Bank Headquarters in Nairobi, whose number stood at 240. A simple size of 96 was selected to participate in the study. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used as an aid in the analysis. SPSS was preferred because of its ability to cover a wide range of the most common statistical and graphical data analysis. The collected data from the questionnaire and secondary sources was systematically organized in a manner to facilitate analysis. Analysis: The data pertaining to profile of the respondents and the organizations was analyzed using content analysis. Content analysis may be used to analyze written data from experiments, observations, surveys and secondary sources. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, which include frequencies, percentages, means cores and standard deviations. In order to establish the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, inferential statistics will be used. In order to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables, chi-square test and a regression analyses were undertaken. Results: The findings indicate that promotional elements usually are used by various organizations to elicit responses from target markets to increase the market share. The findings have been summarized systematically answer the research questions and objectives. Findings of the study reveal that sales promotion was the highest ranked promotional mix element with regards to its effect on sales volume, personal selling was ranked second, advertising was ranked third, and public relations was ranked fourth while direct marketing was the least ranked. Findings from the regressions analysis indicate that sales promotion was the highest ranked promotional mix element with regards to its effect on sales volume, personal selling was ranked second, advertising was ranked third, public relations was ranked fourth while direct marketing was the least ranked. Keywords: Advertising; Promotional mix, Integrated marketing communication, Direct Marketing; Marketing Communications; Personal selling; Public Relation
EGG electronics - in depth analysis of Norway
or the completion of the Work Project, an In-Depth Analysis was conducted. The ultimate purpose was to thoroughly analyze Norway, as a potential country to internationalize to. For that analysis, four dimensions were considered and studied – the quality of contacts in the country, the market sales potential, the competitive environment and the market entry conditions. So as to make a sustained decision, a framework was developed in order to compare the five countries and understand which one would be the most promising for EGG Electronics
Choice Models and Customer Relationship Management
Customer relationship management (CRM) typically involves tracking individual customer behavior over time, and using this knowledge to configure solutions precisely tailored to the customers' and vendors' needs. In the context of choice, this implies designing longitudinal models of choice over the breadth of the firm's products and using them prescriptively to increase the revenues from customers over their lifecycle. Several factors have recently contributed to the rise in the use of CRM in the marketplacePeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47023/1/11002_2005_Article_5892.pd
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