Responses of Real Output in Serbia to the Financial and Global Economic Conditions

Applying and extending Taylor (1993, 1999) and Romer (2000, 2006), this paper examines output fluctuations for Serbia based on a simultaneous equation model consisting of the open-economy IS function, the monetary policy function, and uncovered interest parity. The GARCH(1,0) model is employed because the residual variance is affected by the past variance. Real GDP is positively affected by the real stock price and real government deficit and negatively influenced by expected real depreciation of the dinar, the world real interest rate, and the inflation rate. There are significant seasonal effects. Therefore, a healthy stock market, a stronger dinar, a lower world real interest rate, a lower inflation rate, and an active fiscal policy will play important roles in the recovery of the Serbian economy.monetary policy function, uncovered interest parity, exchange rate, world interest rate, inflation rate, government deficit

A comprehensive structural model of factors affecting online consumer travel purchasing

The purpose of this research was to develop a comprehensive model to study consumers\u27 online purchase intention of travel products. Related literature reviews suggested antecedents of consumers\u27 online purchase intention including EC travel web site design, past purchase experience, consumer trust, consumer\u27s attitudes toward online shopping of travel products; The model was developed by integrating one existing theoretical model (Shim\u27s Online Pre-purchase Intentions Model) with several important factors which were guided by theories: (1) social cognitive theory, (2) self-efficacy theory, (3) theory of planned behavior (TPB), (4) attitude-behavior consistency theory, (5) theory of consumer trust, and (6) communication theory. As a prior attempt to integrate these theories in the context of hospitality industry, the scope of this study was limited to empirically test the model with data collected from leisure travelers in United States. The study proposed seven hypotheses. The data was collected via Internet survey. A structural equation modeling analysis revealed that six hypotheses hold true in this study; The overall results indicated that the Theory of Planned Behavior, attitude-behavior consistency theory, theory of consumer trust, and communication theory provide a good understanding those factors. The results revealed a strong support for the importance of designing a travel Web site. In consumers\u27 perspective, a good travel Web site should provide consumers with detailed, timely, and accurate information, reliable system operation, and excellent service quality. A well design e-travel agency can significantly influence consumers\u27 attitude, purchase experience, consumer trust, and online purchase intention. The findings also showed the significance of managing consumers\u27 attitude by creating convenience perception, good merchant image, and value perception in consumers\u27 mind. The importance of previous online shopping experience illustrates the strategic point of turning existing online consumers into repeat customers by providing them with satisfying online shopping experience. Although there is one contradicting finding in the hypotheses, this study still provided a more comprehensive model to explore consumers\u27 online purchase intention of travel products; Future researchers can use result of this study to create a new model to explore customer\u27s repurchase intention and to develop an effective consumer loyalty program

A study of Taiwanese university students’ English use, learning goals and attitudes toward English as a lingua franca

 This study investigates Taiwanese university students’ experience of English use, aims of learning English and attitudes toward English as a lingua franca (ELF). The notion of ELF has been researched in the field of English language teaching. However, English teaching practice targeting native-speaker (NS) norms is still prevailing in English classrooms. To better respond to learner needs of using English in the age of globalization, this study explores learners’ English learning and use in relation to their attitudes toward ELF. Research methods including interviewing and questionnaire survey were employed to collect data from English majors at a university in Taiwan. The study finds that the learners were aware of the communicative value of ELF and actually used ELF in intercultural communication. The learners’ use of English in context affected their attitudes toward ELF and aims of learning English. It is found that the learners preferred English conforming to NS norms; yet, they wished to learn local variation of English concerning accents and word use. In light of the findings, the author suggests that English teachers incorporate an ELF perspective into English instruction and help learners develop intercultural awareness and competencies

Tabu search heuristics for the dynamic facility layout problem

The facility layout dramatically influences the efficiency of material handling within a manufacturing system. In order to ensure optimal performance within a manufacturing system, the facility layout should reflect changes throughout time. However, the static facility layout problem with constant material flows between departments may not be a realistic scenario because a manufacturing facility is a dynamic system that constantly evolves. In other words, product demand constantly changes over time. As a result, the dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) considers these changes and is defined as the problem of assigning departments to locations during a multi-period planning horizon such that the sum of the material handling and rearrangement costs is minimized. In this research, tabu search heuristics and a probabilistic tabu search heuristic are developed to solve the DFLP. The proposed tabu search heuristics are a simple tabu search heuristic, a tabu search heuristic with diversification and intensification strategies, and a probabilistic tabu search heuristic. Two data sets taken from the literature are used to test the performances of the proposed heuristics. Computational experiments show that the proposed heuristics out-performed the heuristics presented in the literature with respect to solution quality and computational time

Workplace Violence (WPV) Prevention Training Program for a Healthcare Organization

Executive Summary Background and Significance Compared to all other industries in the United States, healthcare professionals are at the greatest risk for experiencing work-related violence (Cafaro et al., 2020; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Moreover, patient-to-staff violence, also known as Type Two Workplace Violence (Type 2 WPV), has the highest prevalence to healthcare employees in the past decades (Nowrouzi-Kia et al., 2019). Increasing incidence of Type 2 WPV impacts the health status of medical workers mentally and physically and generates substantial costs to organizations and the society (ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Program on WPV in the Health Sector, 2002). Thus, there is a need to offer initial training to all healthcare workers to strengthen the management skills in response to the increased prevalence of Type 2 WPV (Adams et al., 2017; Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], 2015). Problem and Purpose Statement Patient-to-staff violence has a large-scale impact on employees’ safety, physical and psychological well-being (OSHA, 2015). To minimize the prevalence of Type 2 WPV in the healthcare industry, constructive educational interventions are needed to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge, skills, and competence when managing aggressive behaviors displayed by patients (Michelle A, 2018; Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, 2015). Introducing a Type 2 WPV prevention training program would improve employees\u27 attitudes and confidence levels when facing aggressive behaviors displayed by patients. The purpose of the DNP project was to initiate a Type 2 WPV prevention training program designed to enhance healthcare workers\u27 ability to recognize and manage patient aggression by introducing two validated violence risk identification tools. By initiating an educational intervention, employees would be able to identify violent behaviors and avoid hazardous situations. Therefore, decreasing the long-term incidence of Type 2 WPV. Methods The prevention intervention included a trial educational session and a single group pre/posttest design that measured changes in participant\u27 attitude towards patient aggression. All surveys were conducted by electronic format (Google Form) and participants were prohibited from accessing the PowerPoint educational session until completion of the pre-educational survey. The PowerPoint presentation explained the two validated risk identification tools for common characteristics of violent behaviors: (1) the Aggressive Behavior Risk Assessment Tool (ABRAT), and (2) the Staring, Tone, Anxiety, Mumbling, and Pacing (STAMP). The pre/posttest utilized an evidence-based method to assess participants\u27 attitude change before and after the educational session, the Management of Aggression and Violence Attitude Scale [MAVAS] (Duxbury et al., 2008). Additionally, a self-rating confidence measure (0-10 scale) questionnaire was added to evaluate self-efficacy improvement post-intervention. The data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, adopting a significance level of p \u3c .05. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate the impact of the educational intervention based on data from the two surveys. Results/Outcomes The project was successfully implemented in a community hospital and provided valuable direction in the development of a comprehensive Type 2 WPV prevention training program. Results were measured by a single group pre-and post-intervention surveys, data analyses, and respondents\u27 self-rating confidence level towards violence management. The total number of analyzed samples were 28 (N=28). The outcomes measured displayed an improvement in staff attitudes toward the management of patient aggression after the educational intervention. A statistical significance changed: t(27) = 3.625 (pM= .30, SD= .13, N=28) to the post-intervention survey (M= .36, SD= .11, N=28). In the post-intervention survey, a result showed that participants\u27 confidence level raised by 10% towards patient aggression. Sustainability The educational material will be maintained through the Employee Continual Learning system for newly hired orientation as directed by the administration of the hospitals\u27 safety committee. Additional recommendations included initiate simulation-based training, piloting the risk identification tools, ABRAT into the admission process for aggression perdition, and encouraging Type 2 WPV reporting protocols. An additional oral report and recommendations were presented to the hospital\u27s safety committee. The next step will include sharing project outcomes with Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) and discussion for dissemination plan of the program to other hospitals members of WSHA. The current COVID-19 pandemic could hinder the execution and should be considered as the barrier for timely implementation in the sustainability plan. Implications for Practice Healthcare workers are at high risk and have a greater chance of being victims of violence in the US. Currently, WPV related training programs include all types of WPV in one package. The findings suggest that a specific educational program focused on Type 2 WPV prevention and management is needed in every organization, which is also recommended by OSHA. The training equips healthcare workers with the knowledge of recognizing violent behavior and initiating proper interferences to perpetrators in time to de-escalate violent situations. A violence prevention program would prepare healthcare workers with the necessary knowledge and confidence to support a safe working environment, increase job satisfaction for all front-line healthcare workers, and provide a quality patient worry-free. Reference Adams, J., Roddy, A., Knowles, A., Ashworth, J., & Irons, G. (2017). Assessing the effectiveness of clinical education to reduce the frequency and recurrence of workplace violence. 34(3), 11. ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme on Workplace Violence in the Health Sector. (2002). Framework guidelines for addressing workplace violence in the health sector. ILO. Cafaro, T., Jolley, C., LaValla, A., Schroeder, R., & Repique, R. J. (n.d.). Workplace Violence Workgroup Report. 3. Duxbury, J., Hahn, S., Needham, I., & Pulsford, D. (2008). The Management of Aggression and Violence Attitude Scale (MAVAS): A cross-national comparative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(5), 596–606. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04629.x Michelle A, D., Michelle A. ;Kissinger,Samuel. (2018). Occupational injuries and illnesses among registered nurses _ Monthly Labor Review_ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.pdf. U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. Nowrouzi-Kia, B., Isidro, R., Chai, E., Usuba, K., & Chen, A. (2019). Antecedent factors in different types of workplace violence against nurses: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 44, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.11.002 Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2015, December). Workplace Violence Prevention and Related Goals: The Big Picture

New Tabu Search Heuristics for the Dynamic Facility Layout Problem

A manufacturing facility is a dynamic system that constantly evolves due to changes such as changes in product demands, product designs, or replacement of production equipment. As a result, the dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) considers these changes and is defined as the problem of assigning departments to locations during a multi-period planning horizon such that the sum of the material handling and re-arrangement costs is minimised. In this paper, three tabu search (TS) heuristics are presented for this problem. The first heuristic is a simple TS heuristic. The second heuristic adds diversification and intensification strategies to the first, and the third heuristic is a probabilistic TS heuristic. To test the performances of the heuristics, two sets of test problems from the literature are used in the analysis. The results show that the second heuristic out-performs the other proposed heuristics and the heuristics available in the literature

Fair Value, Historical Cost model, and Audit Fees: Evidence from Investment Properties

This study examines the effect of fair value model versus historical cost model for investment property on audit fees. Using China’s real state firms data from 2007-2014, controlling for other determinants of audit fees, this study finds that audit fees are higher for firms reporting investment property at the fair value model relative to those reporting investment property at the cost model. This study also finds that firm reporting investment properties at the fair value located in the cities with active markets leads to lower audit fees than those located in the remote areas with less active markets. This study does not find that investment property valued under the fair value model audited by industry specialist leads to higher audit fees than investment property audited by non-industry specialist. Finally, this study provides evidence that firms use external appraisers to monitor the fair value estimates of investment properties leads low audit fees. Overall, our result suggests that fair value measurements leads to lower audit fees in the developed regions relative to less developed regions