Determinants of banking system fragility: A regional perspective.

Banking systems are fragile not only within one country but also within and across regions. We study the role of regional banking system characteristics for regional banking system fragility. We find that regional banking system fragility reduces when banks in the region jointly hold more liquid assets, are better capitalized, and when regional banking systems are more competitive. For Asia and Latin-America, a greater presence of foreign banks also reduces regional banking fragility. We further investigate the possibility of contagion within and across regions. Within region banking contagion is important in all regions but it is substantially lower in the developed regions compared to emerging market regions. For cross-regional contagion, we find that the contagion effects of Europe and the US on Asia and Latin America are significantly higher compared to the effect of Asia and Latin America among themselves. Finally, the impact of cross-regional contagion is attenuated when the host region has a more liquid and more capitalized banking sector.banking system stability; cross-regional contagion; financial integration;

An Analytic Examination and Prioritizing on the Keystone Factors of Success of Psychometric Governance and Managed Leadership in Small Size and Medium Size Psychological Institutions in Tabriz

The main problem in this research is that is it possible that we prioritize the keystone success factors of small size  and medium size psychological institutions and use it as the road map for helping psychological  administrators solve and resolve problems in these psychological  centers? Research method was descriptive which regarding nature is apply-oriented and regarding methodology is survey-oriented. The static study population is live and working psychological and learning centers in Tabriz and the suburb. The total number of members in a population was 104 participants using Cochran formula and simple random sampling, 82 questionnaires were analyzed. To collect data, two separate questionnaires were used having 54 questions. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by content validity and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's Alpha. For the analysis of data obtained from the samples, multiple linear regression analyses and Friedman test were used. The results showed that the key success factors have a positive impact on psychological  performance. Among the success factors, student focus with impact coefficient of 0.37 has the maximum effect and focusing components on the psychological  resources and focus on competitors with impact coefficient of 0.321 and 0.301 have a positive impact on psychological  performance. The results showed that the main key success factors in prioritizing are not equal and the Friedman test, the order of the factors is: 1. Focus on students, 2. Focus on psychological  resources and 3. Focus on competition. Keywords: keystone success factors, small size and medium size psychological institution

Impact of a Flashback Non-Implicit Attempt-Oriented Theory on East Azerbaijan 5th Area on High Schools Teachers’ Concepts of Nature of Science in Iran

This study assessed the impact of a flashback, non-implicit, attempt-oriented approach to nature of science (NOS) instruction undertaken in the context of a secondary science methods course on pre-service teachers’ views of some aspects of NOS. These aspects included the empirical, tentative, subjective (theory-laden), imaginative and creative, and social and cultural NOS. Two additional aspects were the distinction between observation and inference, and the functions of and relationship between scientific theories and laws. Participants were 25 undergraduate and 25 graduate pre-service high school teachers enrolled in two sections of the investigated course. An open-ended NOS questionnaire coupled with individual interviews was used to assess participants’ NOS views before and at the conclusion of the course. Keywords; nature of science, concepts, flashback, non-implicit attempt-oriented approac

A Descriptive Analytic Comparison of Governance and Education & Business Management in Iran

We have personally developed a useful and detailed conception of governance which can be used as a starting point and framework for understanding the complex sets of debates which comprise the relationships between management and governance in education and business. We argue that the concept of governance is an umbrella concept which is able to define an approach to comparative politics. In particular, I am concerned to draw attention not to the performance of government per se, but to the social and relational nature of legitimate authority. Governance is a useful concept because it does not prejudge the locus or character of public decision making. For example, it does not imply, as government does, that real political authority is vested somewhere within the formal-legal institutions of the state. Nor does it imply, as the term leadership does, that political control necessarily rests with the head of state or official political elites. It enables us to suspend judgment about the exact relationship between political authority and formal institutions in society.In my view then, governance is about the normative "rules of the game" which govern state-civil society interactions in the public realm. I can define the public realm as comprising both the state and civil society, but excludes the private realm. Defining the line between public and private is of course difficult to do and has been the subject of debate over many years. Feminists, in particular, challenge this conceptualization by arguing that the definition of the public realm in most political theory excludes historical female experience, relegating it to the private sphere of domestic duty. The limits of public action would not only apply to women, but arguably to excluded groups whose voices are not recognized as part of the "game" of political exchange. This has implications for development also, because it is often disempowered groups, who lack voice, that are excluded from state-initiated development activities. Keywords: governance, management, analytic, education, busines

Significant Points We Learn from Business Training and Entrepreneurship Evaluations from the Developing World

Business training programs are a popular policy option to try to improve the performance of enterprises around the world. The last few years have seen rapid growth in the number of evaluations of these programs in developing countries. This paper practically undertakes a critical review of these studies with the goal of synthesizing the emerging lessons and understanding the limitations of the existing research and the areas in which more work is needed. It finds that there is substantial heterogeneity in the length, content, and types of firms participating in the training programs evaluated. Many evaluations suffer from low statistical power, measure impacts only within a year of training, and experience problems with survey attrition and measurement of firm profits and revenues. Over these short time horizons, there are relatively modest impacts of training on survivorship of existing firms, but stronger evidence that training programs help prospective owners launch new businesses more quickly. Most studies find that existing firm owners implement some of the practices taught in training, but the magnitudes of these improvements in practices are often relatively modest. Few studies find significant impacts on profits or sales, although a couple of the studies with more statistical power have done so. Some studies have also found benefits to microfinance organizations of offering training. To date there is little evidence to help guide policymakers as to whether any impacts found come from trained firms competing away sales from other businesses versus through productivity improvements, and little evidence to guide the development of the provision of training at market prices. The paper concludes by summarizing some directions and key questions for future studies. Keywords: Business training; Consulting; Randomized experiments; Firm Productivit

Performance of Self Compacting Concrete Using Bentonite

Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) have the potential to enhance the properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) while reducing the pressure on natural reserves and CO2 emissions. However, certain SCMs are not able to meet the needs in the construction industry. This research investigates the role of unheated bentonite (BN) clay and its synergistic effect with Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as a partial substitute for cement on performance of SCC. Three different mixtures were prepared, each consisting of 0%, 15%, and 30% (by weight) BC as a replacement for cement, while GGBS remained constant to get the designed strength. Each mix was designed with two strength grades of 30 and 60 MPa by adjusting the compositional parameters and validating their 28 days compressive strength. Fresh Properties tests were conducted as per EFNARC standards. The ultrasonic pulse velocity of all tested specimens is greater than 4.5 km/s, indicating "good" and "excellent" quality concrete. The experimental results revealed that combining BC with GGBS concrete improved durability. The BC and GGBS made concrete more resistant to sulphate attack and chloride ingress. The concrete mixtures were found to be suitable and more durable for use in the construction industry

Analysis on Globalization and the Impact of Its Outcomes on Social Sciences

Continuing the critique of Western social scientific thought set in motion in the 1960s, postmodern thinkers of this decade have promoted descriptions of the uniqueness and complexity of human life by focusing on identities and group affiliations (See Bolough and Mell, 2004; Mato, 2006; Seidman, 2010; Sztompka, 2009; Zavarzadeh and Morton, 2004). The critique of logical positivism in the social sciences, which sought general truths about the social world, ultimately resulted in a discourse that rejected, to use the language of postmodern thinkers, totalizing and essentializing master narratives of the dominant canon (Martinez, 2010). Keywords : globalization, social sciences, outcomes, impac

An Investigation on Education Planning and Its Impact on National and Regional Development

Education, especially at the basic level, is strongly and significantly considered as a substantially king-size key to the attainment of national and, in its broad sense, regional development. It empowers people, strengthens nations and promotes economic growth, national productivity and innovation, and also values of democracy and social cohesion. Investment in education benefits not only the individual and society but also the world as a whole. It has a direct and proven impact on the goals related reproductive health and also environmental sustainability. Broad-based education of good quality is among the most powerful instruments known to reduce poverty and inequality. With proven benefits for personal health, it also strengthens nations’ economic health by laying the foundation for sustained economic growth. For individuals and nations, it is key to creating, applying and spreading knowledge __ and thus to the development of dynamic, globally competitive economies. And it is fundamental for the construction of democratic societies. Keywords: education, national and regional development, economy, societ

Analysis on the Role of Education in Economic Development

Education  in every sense  is one of the  fundamental  factors of development. No country can achieve sustainable  economic development without substantial  investment  in  human capital. Education enriches people’s understanding of themselves and world. It improves the quality of  their  lives  and leads  to  broad social  benefits  to  individuals  and society. Education  raises people’s  productivity  and creativity  and promotes  entrepreneurship and technological advances. In addition it plays a very crucial role in securing economic and social progress and improving income distribution. Keywords: Human  Development,  Economic  Growth,  Poverty,  Labor  Productivity, Education, Technology, Trade, Health