International Journal of Management Perspective
Volume:1 Issue: 2, 2012

The concept of competitiveness has attracted abundant attentions of both scholars and governors during the past decade. During this period، the world economic forum has published its annual reports which encompass Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) in order to measure national competitiveness in different countries. This paper aims at investigating the interaction between the two sets of “Technological readiness” and “Macroeconomic environment” as the two basic pillars of national competitiveness in order to provide information for improving national competitiveness in countries which are transiting from stage I to stage II of deveopment. In our study، we used descriptive-correlation methodology. The statistical population was 139 countries whose GCI data were included in GCI 2010 report. Also، we employed Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) to investigate interaction between two sets of “Technological readiness” and “Macroeconomic environment”. Our findings show that there is a significant and positive relationship between the set of “Technological readiness” and that of “Macroeconomic environment”.

The basic question of this research is whether markets react to company deviations from their dividend trends? To answer this question, we have studied shareholders reaction to changes after any of the three types of ascending, descending and unchanged trends. For this purpose, company dividends were studied during the years 1995 to 2007. We have used Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and Fama & French three factors model to check shareholders reactions and to determine the significance of the results using t-test at levels α= 0.01, 0.05, 0.1. The results show that markets show a positive reaction to all positive deviations. With respect to the negative ones, we should attend to the former trends, because contrary to our supposition dividends''s decline showed a positive reaction after a descending trend. When a company has no deviation from the historical trends, usually markets do not show unexpected reaction. In contrast to many previous studies, the results of this study show that markets react to positive news more than to negative ones.

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a systems approach based on the assumption that every organization has at least one factor that inhibits the organization’s ability to meet its objectives. The normal objective is to maximize profit. Hence, TOC emphasizes the maximization of profit by assuring that the factor that limits production is used most efficiently. This theory was first described by E. M. Goldratt, and it has been used at three different levels: Production Management (To solve problems of bottlenecks), Scheduling, and Inventory Reduction.

This dissertation aims to illustrate main requirements and barriers for making an e-Health model. We emphasized on a basic World Health Organisation‟s (WHO) definition and selected experiential strategic planning under discussion as a well-suit pattern for the e-Health care system. The resource based strategy was considered to present a holistic framework for an e-Health strategic planning. Further, an economical sub-model was essential to cover finances such as Return on Investment (ROI) and Technical Issues. While, there are many information management advantages, we have noted some problematic issues to highlight e-Health barriers. Since, we faced three main factors such as human, ICT and investment resource in e-Health care system, therefore, we selected two research methods. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to present social and natural science too. To do this, twice we conducted interviews with 75 e-Health experts. Finally, the holistic and conceptual model and financial sub-model were designed.

Recent research on leadership has proven that self-awareness is an important factor influencing leadership. Having used an empirical research methodology, Avolio and Gardner espoused a comprehensive definition of self-awareness; they like other positivists, in general, assume empirical science to be the only valid scientific method for the study of self-awareness. Despite positivists’ beliefs and assumptions (ontology and epistemology) that science is a value-free enterprise, Avolio and Gardner consider morals and ethics as foundational resources for achieving self-awareness, thereby injecting values into studies of self-awareness. In our opinion, although Avolio and Gardner endeavored to explain self-awareness comprehensively, using strictly empirical approaches, they nevertheless could not come up with a comprehensive explanation. This article aims to study, analyze and critique Avolio and Gardner’s perspectives, and the epistemology and methodology that have lead to their conclusions. By referring to the ontology, epistemology and methodology of Allamah Tabatabaie, this article critiques Avolio and Gardner’s epistemological and methodological approaches. According to Allamah Tabatabaie reaching self-awareness requires a type of knowledge beyond empirical scientific approaches currently popular in the west. Allamah Tabatabaie believes self-awareness requires both knowledge-through presence2 and acquired knowledge. These two forms of knowledge must be guided, directed and supported through the four foundational beliefs of the Abrahamic faiths presented within this paper. The four foundational beliefs are necessary for initiating and continuing knowledge creation and gain, so as to prevent these activities from being misled by human caprice and entering into a realm of imagination and wishful thinking3.

As organizations move toward more comprehensive commercial environments, the processes that shape such environments get enriched in their knowledge and awareness. On the other hand, as advanced technologies form customer expectations, the organizations come under pressure to improve their work processes and their competitive position. At the time of economic development, emergence of new business opportunities, new competitors, service organizations, beneficial organizations, industrial parks, banks, etc. organizations have to suitably organize their processes in order to achieve their desired development or at least to preserve their current share. Making macro strategies of customer knowledge management is one of the tools that if paid enough attention, can remove a lot of the concerns of organizations'' authorities. The objective of this research is to help organizations understand the effective factors in implementing macro strategies of customer knowledge management, and determining their importance for the organization. In this regard, the researchers have tested the effectiveness of the effective factors in implementing the macro strategies of customer knowledge management in manufacturing companies of Tehran, in 2011. These factors are the results of previous researches, especially the conceptual model presented by Quaddus and Xu (2004). In this research, all factors of the model (including personal, organizational, and CKM-related factors) were recognized as effective in implementing the macro strategies of customer knowledge management. Besides, according to the obtained results, CKM-related factors have been more effective in implementing the macro strategies of customer knowledge management than the two other groups of factors. Moreover, in the eyes of managers and technicians of these organizations, some factors including senior managers'' support, IT grounds of organizations, compatibility to the industry, and obtained advantages by people have been more effective in implementing the macro strategies of the customer knowledge management.