In all economies Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) constitute the vast majority of business establishments thereby contributing to employment generation, poverty reduction, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and household income. Stiff competition requires SMEs to adopt different strategies to improve performance. This study examines the effect of market growth strategies on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Benue State, Nigeria. The study specifically examined the effect of product development strategy, market penetration strategy and quality customer service strategy on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Benue State, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design and questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The population of the study includes 281 SMEs in Makurdi metropolis selected across different sectors including Retail/Wholesale, Services, Agri-business and Manufacturing. Mean and standard deviation were used for data presentation and analysis while regression analysis was used for test of hypotheses. Findings of the study indicated that product development strategy and market penetration strategy have significant effect on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Benue State, Nigeria. The study also revealed that quality customer service strategy has significant effect on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Benue State, Nigeria. The study recommended amongst others that owners of SMEs in Benue State should always use strategies that will align market needs to be able to attract more customers and face competitors in the market.

This paper is aiming at the refinement of Airport Service Quality (ASQ) dimensions based on passengers’ experience. This new ASQ dimensions evolved are in contrast with the conventional method of setting apart areas concerning ASQ as recognized at every interaction points in the functional flow of passengers through various agencies in the airport. The new dimensions arrived in this study were obtained by analyzing the data regarding airport service quality attributes identified and surveyed with the support of instruments developed by Airports Council International (ACI) and are commonly used by airports in India. This study further analyzed and factorized those items into meaningful ASQ dimensions from passengers’ perspective using exploratory factor analysis method and then confirmed the measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis. This study also attempts to find out the relationship between these core dimensional factors of airport service quality and its influence on overall satisfaction of passengers. The interrelationship between these ASQ factors and overall satisfaction level of passengers were estimated using structural equation modeling. The strength of each factor dimension was plotted and drawn implications for the airport operators.

The vessel arrival pattern is the basis of research on the port management including berth assignment, quay crane assignment and yard operations. The hypothesis that vessel arrival pattern follows the Poisson distribution (or the inter-arrival time of two consecutive vessel arrivals follows the exponential distribution) is regularly adopted by many researchers. This paper focuses on the vessel arrival pattern at the Hong Kong Port and examines the hypothesis mentioned above based on the real data. The chi-square test method is employed to check the hypothesis under the parameter the result shows the vessel arrival pattern does not follow the Poisson distribution. Researching into the arrival data, we find that there is peak time from 8 to 9 o’clock. Considering the peak time and normal time, respectively, we find that the vessel arrival pattern at both times follows the Poisson distribution. The conclusion is tested in different data set using the chi-square test.

Good corporate governance is needed to improve the performance of a bank, especially Sharia banks. The mechanism of good governance is the existence of a board of directors as executors of management and a board of commissioners as supervisors. This study aims to analyze the influence of the board of directors and the board of commissioners in improving financial performance. The study was conducted on 5 sharia commercial banks from 2013 to 2018 which had the largest assets using secondary data. The method used is a quantitative analysis using multiple regression. The results showed that the board of directors did not have a significant influence on financial performance, while the board of commissioners had a negative influence on the financial performance of Sharia commercial banks in Indonesia.

The study is an application of VAR Granger Causality test on time series data. It conducted on United Kingdom (UK) annual data from 1989 to 2017. The time-series analysis used. Both formal and informal method is used to determine the stationary level. For regression analysis, Vector Autoregression model and Johnson cointegration equation used. The result found that interest rate and inflation are stationary at first difference, i.e. I(1). VAR Granger causality test between inflation and interest rate found that there is bilateral causality among these variables.

This research aims to proofs the existence of antecedents in the intention to conduct research leading to professional commitment. The gap in the current practice is the need to increase Indonesia's academic rank in the world due to a decrease in various indicators. As for previous studies, limited information on professional commitment by researchers is found especially in Indonesia. Researchers propose personal and external related variables; personal variables include Attitude toward Behaviors, and Perceived Behavioral Control; whereas external related variables include Subjective Norm, Institutional Support and Research Related Policy. Study to 235 academicians in Indonesia produce a conclusion that perceived behavioral control is the only variable in TPB that is the antecedent toward the intention. Meanwhile, external related variables fail to show its significance, with the exception of Research Related Policy, showing the need in finding other extraneous variables in the future. Intention to do research can impact researcher’s professional commitment.

The comparative analysis is conducted to ascertain the performance of Conventional and Islamic Banks operating in the UAE for 5 years from 2014-2018. In order to compare, the author has chosen top 6 Conventional and Islamic banks, respectively, operating in the country. Several ratios are chosen to compare both Islamic and conventional banks. As per the Central Bank of UAE website, banks are classified into locally incorporated banks and branches of foreign banks which have obtained licenses to operate in the UAE. Accordingly, as at 30 June 2019, there are 22 local national banks, 27 branches of foreign banks and 11 wholesale foreign bank branches. Among the locally incorporated banks, there are 6 Islamic banks. Given the consolidation that is happening in the UAE economy, some of the Islamic banks are on the brink of getting merged with other local UAE based banks. Although there is demand for Islamic products, UAE Islamic banks enjoy a relatively small market share as compared to its conventional counterparts.

The Mutual Fund Industry is a fast growing sector of the Indian Financial Markets. They have become major vehicle for mobilization of savings, especially from the small and household savers for investment in the capital market. Mutual Funds entered the Indian Capital Market in 1964 with a view to provide the retail investors the benefit of diversification of risk, assured returns, and professional management. Every type of investment, including Mutual Funds, involves risk. Risk refers to the possibility that investors will lose money (both principal and any earnings) or fail to make money on an investment. A Fund's investment objective and its holdings are influential factors in determining how risky a fund is. Reading the prospectus will help the investors to understand the risks associated with that particular Fund. The study aimed to understand and analyze investor’s perceptions of such risks and expectations, and unveil some extremely valuable information to support financial decision making of Mutual Funds. The detailed analysis revealed that investors perceive risk as under performance, risks in Mutual Fund investments are medium and the returns on Fund investments are not so satisfactory.

This study aims to determine the implications of Illegal gold mining carried out by the community in Perentak village, Merangin Regency. The research method carried out is a qualitative method with a focus of attention on the household economy of rural communities and the environment, for that researchers hold interviews and discussions with communities in Perentak village and observe environmental changes. The results of the study found that the presence of Illegal gold mining conducted by the Perentak villagers had positive implications for the improvement of the household economy in the short term, but in the long term along with environmental changes as a result of the addition of gold without a permit had a negative impact on the environment which also had negative implications on the household economy.

Given the increasing importance of agribusiness in the world’s emerging economy, the dissemination of financial literacy information is necessary to content and sustain commercial production. Financial literacy is being a coded a great contributor to financial stability and sustainable economic development. Studies have showed that financial literacy affects the level of agribusiness performance. However, these studies have failed to incorporate the moderating role of farmers’ attitude and social media in the relationship between financial literacy and agribusiness performance. The results indicate that farmers’ attitude and social media practices positively and significantly moderates in the relationship between financial literacy and agribusiness performance in a 21st century.

the Six Big Losses that occur on the cutting machine. The research data are monthly data for the period January 2017 to June 2018. The sampling method used was purposive sampling. From a population of 18 carline areas with a total of 148 cutting machine units, 3 carline areas with the lowest OEE achievement as a sample. The analytical method used in the study is the analysis of OEE calculations and six big losses with a fishbone diagram analysis. The results showed the cause of the OEE value not yet achieved in the Toyota Bfree carline was the low Performance Efficiency results of 72.56% and the high Equipment Failure losses of 94.57%. In the Toyota Hiace carline is the low Performance Efficiency results of 69.25% and the high Equipment Failure losses of 88.70%. On the Toyota Vitz carline is the low availability of 76.81% and the high Equipment Failure losses of 87.01%. With suggestions for improvements given to increase the value of OEE companies based on factors Man, Machine, Method, Material, and Environment.