For-profit Research Articles

Effects of corona virus on commercial farming in the kingdom of Eswatini

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on commercial farming (particularly sugar cane, pineapples and citrus fruits) in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The study concentrated on how the pandemic has affected the workers, marketing of the final products as well as the strategies adopted in order to ensure that production was maximized and the target goals were met in the midst the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopted the qualitative approach of data collection and analysis. Due to restrictions on movement and visitation imposed by the government in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, data was collected from only nine (9) respondents, comprising of supervisors and managers (four from Royal Swazi Sugar Cooperation, three from Illovo and two from Rhodes using a questionnaire. The study found that, since commercial farming (specifically sugar cane, pineapple and citrus fruits) form the back born of the country’s economy, production continued normally even though a few alterations had to be made to accommodate the COVID-19 regulations so as to ensure that the GDP is less affected. Despite that borders were formally closed and/or operating under strict rules and restrictions, (mainly on emergencies), it was not hard to export the products. This is solely because drivers were allowed to pass through, although at times the products would delay due to fumigation at the border post. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught both the government and the commercial organizations that they need to be always prepared for unforeseen occurrences through ensuring that there is more than enough food or products available for local consumption and export. The study recommends that measures to increase production be put in place to fill up the production deficit, while the relaxation of more COVID-19 control measures is effected in order to ensure a full recovery of the agricultural commercial sector in Eswatini – a significant sector in the country’s economy.

Special aspects of analyzing and assessing the financial stability of non-profit organizations: The case of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Altai Krai

Subject. The article deals with financial stability and efficiency of entrepreneurial activity of non–profit organizations, using the Altai Chamber of Commerce and Industry case. Objectives. The purpose is to consider and systematize theoretical and practical features of analysis and assessment of non-profit organizations’ financial stability, to analyze the financial condition and financial stability of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Altai Territory. Methods. We employed general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, comparative analysis, horizontal analysis, calculation of financial coefficients. Results. We investigated the specifics, highlighted the main financial aspects in the functioning of non-profit organizations in Russia. On the case of the Altai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we considered and defined the specifics of analysis and assessment of financial stability of non-profit organizations. Conclusions. Based on empirical analysis of finances of the largest non-profit organization of the Altai Territory, which provides organizational, legal, foreign economic, and other business support, we concluded on high financial risks of such companies and the possibility of divergent results of financial stability and financial position of non-profit organizations. This is also typical of commercial organizations in general.

Making managerial decisions based on analysis of financial statements

Today, in a changing economic situation, an important condition for ensuring financial stability and maximizing profits for commercial organizations is tactical and strategic planning, based on a competent analysis of financial statements. Developing a management decision is considered one of the fundamental tasks of the enterprise management process. Analysis of the financial statements of a commercial organization allows you to assess the financial position, performance efficiency and prospects for its development, which helps to identify possible problems and propose ways to solve them. The authors substantiate the role of financial reporting analysis for making competent management decisions. The article analyzes the financial statements of PJSC «Pigment» for 2019–2021. The stages of making management decisions and the circumstances influencing them are also considered. An analysis of the main indicators of financial stability, liquidity and profitability of the enterprise indicates an increase in operating efficiency and a certain decrease in financial stability. Based on the analysis, effective management decisions are developed to overcome existing financial difficulties.

Updating of legal regulations as a tool to reduce property and legal risks during mergers and acquisitions

The essence of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals is to reorganize the business, primarily in order to increase profits, strengthen its position in the market, and get rid of a competitor. Mergers and acquisitions help businesses increase their assets. In accordance with the Russian regulatory framework, which regulates corporate relations in the organization, acts have been adopted regulating various aspects of activities in Russian commercial organizations, including mergers and acquisitions. The paper notes that the main problem of M&A transactions is that the legislation of the Russian Federation lacks specific rules for regulating the process of mergers and acquisitions. Such a lack of specific laws, as well as regulatory legal acts, hinders many processes in conducting mergers and acquisitions, thereby increasing the level of regulatory risk. In addition, there is practically no legislative control over the M&A process in the Russian Federation. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop and improve the regulatory framework as one of the risk management tools that reduces such types of risks as market, credit, financial, liquid, loss of solvency, financial stability, etc.

2416. Outcomes of Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in For-Profit Hospitals Compared to Non-Profit hospitals: A National Retrospective Cohort

Abstract Background Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) constitute a significant burden to patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) carries a high mortality and represents one of the costliest HAI. There is uncertainty if treating this subgroup of patients in For-Profit (FP) hospitals portents better outcomes than Nonprofit (NP) hospitals. Methods A retrospective cohort of patients admitted from January 2016 through December 2020 was extracted from the National Inpatient Sample database. We compared two cohorts of patients with a primary diagnosis of VAP: patients admitted to FP hospitals and patients admitted to NP hospitals. The primary end-point was all-cause inpatient mortality. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The secondary end-points included: comparing the requirement of vasopressor use and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) requiring hemodialysis (HD); describing associated comorbidities; and comparing if there was a difference in length of stay (LoS) and hospital cost between the 2 groups. In order to compare LoS and hospital cost, a multivariate linear regression was conducted. Results A total of 6 155 hospitalizations under the primary diagnosis of VAP were included. No statistically significant difference in mortality was noted (FP: 4.24 vs. NP:8; p = 0.182), but age (aOR 1.01, p = 0.020) and Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI) (aOR 1.20; p < 0.001) were modest predictors of mortality for both groups (FP vs. NP). There was no statistically significant difference in mean LoS between these two groups (FP:10.61 days vs. NP: 9.57, p=0.398). CCI (Coef 0.64, p= 0.01) and admission to large-size hospitals (Coef 3.03, p < 0.001) were predictors of LoS for both groups. Admission to for-profit hospitals predicted higher hospitalization costs (p = 0.020). Furthermore, admission to medium-size hospitals, large-size hospitals, and urban hospitals were also predictors of higher hospital cost (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in vasopressor use and AKI requiring HD among both groups (FP vs. NP) (p < 0.05). Conclusion Admission to For-Profit hospitals did not portend better outcomes compared to Nonprofit hospitals. Conversely, admission to For-Profit hospitals predicted higher total hospital costs. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Development of the Food Boost Challenge: A Participatory Action Research Approach to Enhance Vegetable and Fruit Consumption among Adolescents

Prevention of non-communicable diseases through, among other factors, increasing vegetables and fruit (V&F) intake is a cost-effective strategy for risk reduction but requires behavioral change. Such changes in adolescents benefit from their active involvement. The Food Boost Challenge (FBC) was developed using a participatory action research approach to enhance healthy eating behaviors, namely V&F products among adolescents. The FBC is an innovation process, involving adolescents, (peer) researchers, and food system partners, like non-governmental and commercial organizations. In 2021–2022, 34 partners provided both cash and in-kind contributions to join the FBC community. Phase 1 involved 200 students identifying barriers and drivers for consumption of F&V products among 1000 pre-vocational adolescents, aged 12–20 years. In phase 2, student teams submitted innovative ideas, resulting in 25 concepts fitting into ≥1 of 4 routes: (I) innovative technology for a healthy diet, (II) new food products/concepts for adolescents, (III) hotspots improving the F&V product experience, and (IV) new routes to market. In phase 3, consortia of adolescents, students, and partners were formed to develop 10 selected concepts into prototypes, and phase 4 offered teams a national platform. Results show that the FBC resonates with all stakeholders, generating valuable insights to increase F&V intake. Prototypes in all four routes have been developed. Additionally, other regions in the Netherlands have adopted the FBC approach. Overall, the FBC is an approach that transforms ideas into actionable measures and shows potential to be adapted to promote various healthy eating behaviors among school students.

E-privacy concerns: a facet theoretical approach

Although the ubiquitous use of smartphones and social media poses serious risks to the privacy of users, research is sparse regarding how users perceive these risks. We present a study investigating the perception of e-privacy risks, assuming that risk perception depends on context and situation, and employing a facet theory approach to define and analyze privacy risk perceptions. Specifically, we define three facets that characterize situations involving an e-privacy risk: Facet A refers to the type of data disclosed, distinguishing three types: a person’s identity information, information about health, and information about private activities. Facet B refers to the type of actor misusing the information, distinguishing between commercial organizations, public authorities, social networks, and criminal actors. Facet C distinguishes three kinds of harm that might be experienced as a consequence: financial loss, physical harm, and negative psycho-social experiences. Questionnaire items were constructed by creating fictitious but realistic scenarios, each representing a combination of one element from each facet, yielding 36 (3 × 4 × 3) scenarios. For each scenario, respondents rated the likelihood and the negativity of experiencing that scenario. Following the facet theoretical paradigm, item intercorrelations were analyzed via ordinal multidimensional scaling. Results from a representative survey among 500 adult Norwegians yield a distinct partitioning with respect to Facets A and B, called a radex configuration. Facet B (actors) shows an angular partition. Facet C (type of harm) yields a contrast of financial versus psycho-social harm. In sum, we conclude that our three-faceted definition provides a satisfying first approximation to people’s perception of privacy risks on the Internet while remaining open for extensions with additional facets.

A Comprehensive Methodology for Assessing the Business Reputation of Industrial and Production Personnel

The currently existing Russian and other legislation, as well as special literature, do not contain a methodology for the formation of the business reputation of the organization’s personnel and as a result, there is no unambiguous perception of the business, professional qualities of personnel as an object of evaluation of the organization in the market system. Therefore, it is impossible to single out the share of the results of intellectual advantage in the goods and services produced. This confirms the requirements formulated in paragraph 4 of Accounting Regulation 14/2007 «Accounting for intangible assets», which states that the intellectual and business qualities of the organization’s personnel, their qualifications, and their ability to work are not included in the intangible assets (since they are inseparable from their carriers and cannot be used without them). Meanwhile, the interests of the leading economically developed countries of the world lie in the field of accelerated growth of knowledge acquisition and application of professional skills. This trend of development of economically developed countries forms the basis of competitiveness and efficiency of their work. It should be noted that in the world economy, there is insufficient theoretical elaboration and a special practical significance and relevance of the issue of assessing the business reputation of the personnel of an economic entity. The article presents a comprehensive methodology for evaluating the performance of industrial and production personnel (the standard-production methodology), which contributes to the formation of accounting and information support for the analysis of the activities of both structural divisions, responsibility centers, business segments and commercial organizations as a whole. The author’s standard-production methodology makes it possible to determine the business reputation of industrial and production personnel, which contradicts the official economic paradigm.

Organizational adaptation to a disruption caused by the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine

There is a vast body of knowledge on the social impact of disasters, but most published research concerns natural disasters with a devastating but momentary impact. However, very little attention is given to social disruptions caused by war, such as the situation in Ukraine after the full-scale russian* invasion. Our research aims to understand the nature of disruptions in the work of Ukrainian commercial and noncommercial organizations caused by the full-scale russian invasion and to explore the adaptation mechanisms used to cope with it. For this purpose, we have conducted a qualitative investigation of 22 Ukrainian organizations and have used the typology of organized reactions developed by The Disaster Research Center to classify their responses.

THE ADOPTION OF T.R.U.S.T PRINCIPLES BY PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

The T.R.U.S.T principles were set out by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Department in 2018, pursuant to subsection (5) of Section 17A, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. It was crafted as a guideline for commercial organisations to safeguard the company from being charged under corporate liability. The principles have been formed using five indicators to ensure that organisations can take reasonable steps and adequate procedures from committing corrupt activities in daily businesses. This article explains the issues faced by Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad in adopting the salient features of the T.R.U.S.T principles, encompassing top-level commitment, risk assessment, undertaking control measures, systematic review, monitoring and enforcement, and training and communication. This article deploys the qualitative legal research methodology which is based on primary and secondary data to analyse the company’s practice in the context of the law and guidelines in Malaysia. The adoption of the T.R.U.S.T principles has been seen to become essential to all corporate organisations, as the company, including its senior management, can be charged under section 17A, MACC Act 2009 if found guilty unless it can be proven that adequate measures have been put in place. In conclusion, the T.R.U.S.T principles have set an outline for companies to be guided with, and to protect them from corporate liability charges under the MACC Act.

PRIVATE PROSCUTION IN ENGLISH CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: HISTORY AND LEGAL NATURE

Historically, English criminal procedure is characterised by the role of private prosecution, which allowed each person to bring charges against any other person. A relic of the Middle Ages, it has nevertheless survived successfully to the present day, although it has undergone a number of significant transformations. Its remarkable resilience, despite its inability to serve as a fullfledged instrument of Crown criminal policy, is due to the fact that the ancient procedural form is constantly emerging with new uses. In the twentieth century there was a growing demand for it by commercial and noncommercial organizations who needed an instrument for the proactive prosecution (in public or private interests). Continental critics, who had earlier protested against the introduction of the English model of private prosecution into the criminal procedure of Germany or France, raised many objections against it, but the English history has shown that their fears were baseless. At the same time, the development of public prosecutions in England has greatly reduced the space for private initiative. Most of the procedural advances, among them the increased accessibility of criminal justice, were due to the expansion of the state.

Budget ratcheting in museums

PurposeThis study focuses on ratcheting and budget behavior in nonprofit museums. Specifically, the authors examine how performance compared with the budget affects future revenue budgets, and how this differs from the extant literature focused on for-profit organizations. The study focuses specifically on the relationship between museums and their sources of public funding and how this affects how museums prepare budgets.Design/methodology/approachBased on four years of data covering 97 state-subsidized Danish museums, the authors analyze budget ratcheting using least absolute deviation (LAD) estimations in the form of median regressions.FindingsThe authors find that when actual revenue from admission charges is below the budget, the decrease in the following year's budget is greater than the increase in the following year's budget when actual revenue from admission charges is above the budget (i.e. the authors find asymmetrical ratcheting).Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are based on a specific setting (Danish museums), and the results may not be generalizable to other settings.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights into the museum sector and other sectors with similar characteristics and contributes to understanding the differences between museums and for-profit organizations when it comes to budgeting. As private-sector management practices are gaining ground in the museum sector, it is important to learn more about budgeting-related issues in this sector.Originality/valueThe asymmetrical ratcheting the authors find is the opposite of ratcheting typically found in for-profit organizations. The authors attribute the results to the incentive conflict between museums and their public funding sources. The authors point to the museums' dependence on public funding as an explanation for the results and, thereby, extend the knowledge on ratcheting to organizations with different characteristics than traditional, for-profit organizations.

Do research experience programs promote capacity building in Qatar: Investigating the trend and participation differences

Research Experience programs (REPs) inspire students to pursue advanced degrees and shape their research career paths. Government and commercial organizations sponsor REPs to promote the capacity building of the country. In Qatar, the national youth is reported to show concerning participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines at the K-12 level. However, none of the studies investigate these participation trends at the undergraduate level, especially in scientific research, which is deemed necessary for building a knowledge-based economy in Qatar. Therefore, to bridge this gap, the current study uses a quantitative approach to analyze the REP in Qatar through the participation data of 2455 undergraduate students. For this, statistical measures, including descriptive analysis, independent samples t-test, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used. Results indicated concerning trends in national student participation rate, implying underlying issues restricting their representation in undergraduate research activities. Also, statistically significant differences were found in student participation rates among students' gender and ethnic distributions. While female students demonstrated higher participation rates than males, national students showed lower participation than the non-nationals. Moreover, this low participation of national students suffered more drastically in STEM disciplines. Therefore, these findings determine the outlook for stakeholders and academic institutions in making meaningful educational decisions and envision synchronizing REPs at the university level, gauging measures to bolster the adjacent funding agencies and government organizations. Furthermore, being the first research addressing REPs in the Middle East region, this study has the potential to support educators in neighboring and other developing nations where STEM education is especially significant for human capacity building.

Ways for sustainable strategic development of business structures using innovations

Modern challenges in the economic and geopolitical sphere of the world community determine the necessity to ensure accelerated innovative improvement of the eco- nomic mechanism of Kazakhstan, the transition to digital principles of economic systems and the use of modern initiatives based on the solution of problems related to the substitution of imported goods. The aim is to study and analyse the possibili- ties of sustainable strategic development of business structures using innovations on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The author's analysis of literary sources showed that the level of innovative potential of an economic entity determines the readiness of a commercial organisation to innovate.

Organizational perspectives on converged security operations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the current practices in security convergence among and between corporate security and cybersecurity processes in commercial enterprises.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is the first phase in a planned multiphase project to better understand current practices in security optimization efforts being implemented by commercial organizations exploring means and methods to operate securely while reducing operating costs. The research questions being examined are: What are the general levels of interest in cybersecurity and corporate security convergence? How well do the perspectives on convergence align between organizations? To what extent are organizations pursuing convergence? and How are organizations achieving the anticipated outcomes from convergence?FindingsIn organizations, the evolution to a more optimized security structure, either merged or partnered, was traditionally due to unplanned or unforeseen events; e.g. a spin-off/acquisition, new security leadership or a negative security incident was the initiator. This is in contrast to a proactive management decision or formal plan to change or enhance the security structure for reasons that include reducing costs of operations and/or improving outcomes to reduce operational risks. The dominant exception was in response to regulatory requirements. Preliminary findings suggest that outcomes from converged organizations are not necessarily more optimized in situations that are organizationally merged under a single leader. Optimization may ultimately depend on the strength of relationships and openness to collaboration between management, cybersecurity and corporate security personnel.Research limitations/implicationsThis report and the number of respondents to its survey do not support generalizable findings. There are too few in each category to make reliable predictions and in analysis, there was an insufficient quantity of responses in most categories to allow supportable conclusions to be drawn.Practical implicationsPractitioners may find useful contextual clues to their needs for convergence or in response to directives for convergence from this report on what is found in some other organizations.Social implicationsImproved effectiveness and/or reduced costs for organizational cybersecurity would be a useful social outcome as organizations become more efficient in the face of increasing levels of cyber security threats.Originality/valueConvergence as a concept has been around for some time now in both the practice and research communities. It was initially promoted formally by ASIS International and ISACA in 2005. Yet there is no universally agreed-upon definition for the term or the practices undertaken to achieve it. In addition, the business drivers and practices undertaken to achieve it are still not fully understood. If convergence or optimization of converged operations offers a superior operational construct compared to other structures, it is incumbent to discover if there are measurable benefits. This research hopes to define the concept of security collaboration optimization more fully. The eventual goal is to develop and promote a tool useful for organizations to measure where they are on such a continuum.

Առևտրային կազմակերպությունների կառավարչական հաշվառման ընթացակարգերի և ներքին վերահսկողության համակարգի փոխկապվածությունը / Management Accounting Procedures in the Internal Control System

The purpose of this article is to present the possibility of applying management accounting procedures in the organization's internal control system, by identifying the commonalities of these systems, as well as formulating the principles of joint application. Based on the professional literature on management accounting and internal control and using general methods of scientific research, the authors reflected the main procedures of management accounting, elements of internal control (control environment, control measures, risk assessment, communication, monitoring), the process and the main procedures, a number of conclusions were drown, priorities for future research are indicated. The results of the study can be useful for managers of relevant departments of commercial organizations and the employees involved. The results can also be used in the educational process when discussing the issues of internal control and management accounting.

Integration and Exploration of Digital Painting and Traditional Watercolor Painting

In the 20th century, sociologist and critic Walter Benjamin affirmed that works of art became more accessible through mechanical and industrial production and lost their aura. Although paintings and sculptures have remained rarity throughout the history of art due to their uniqueness, emerging fields such as photography and design required new ways of creating value at the time. The most common solution to creating value for such art is to limit the number of versions, in other words, to oppose the reproducibility of these items. In Benjamin's thesis, the "Aura" as the only feature of the artwork will decline with the continuous development of technology. The rise of digital art at this stage just confirms this point of view, and the art form of traditional painting has encountered unprecedented challenges. Edmond Belamy, a portrait created by artificial intelligence, was successfully sold at Christie's in 2018 for a transaction price of $ 432,500. This marks that the commercial world auction organization has recognized the art produced by artificial intelligence. The fields involved include painting, architecture, and installation art. The main research question of this article is whether the aesthetic standards and values of the electronic painting are consistent with traditional painting? Especially the direction of digital painting?

The UK National Geological Repository: a case study in innovation

Abstract The UK National Geological Repository (UKNGR) is the largest collection of British geoscience samples, with 16 m ‘specimens’, including 600 km of drillcore. Samples are available for study/subsampling by commercial organizations and researchers. Data, reports and publications must be returned. Raw data are available after 2 years. The scientific method requires published results to be repeatable, necessitating the archiving of samples. Re-purposing samples for new research saves money and time and thereby reduces risk. The National Geological Repository (NGR) has cost over £200 bn to collect and the cost of a single deep cored borehole would be outside the funding of most research projects, so the operation of an NGR makes financial sense. Many of the boreholes have been extensively characterized, so new research can build on the wealth of published data. The NGR has been at the forefront of international efforts to utilize digitization and the World Wide Web to improve the impact of the collections. Geographical information system (GIS) access was provided to the onshore borehole collection in 2000, and GIS access and text searching were added to the other collections over the next 10 years. This was followed by high-resolution images of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) cores, petrological thin-sections, and images, stereo anaglyphs and 3D-digital models of British-type fossils.

P078 “It’s very good but it needs to be better”: Usability and Acceptance of Fatigue Detection Technology in Australia.

Abstract Introduction Fatigue detection technology (FDT) is commonly used in the Australian road transport industry to monitor and/or detect driver fatigue. These devices typically provide alerts to drivers and their organisation if fatigue is detected and aim to reduce incidences of fatigue-related vehicle crashes and/or improve driver behaviour. The rise of these technologies is generating debate about how their relative design and merit might be evaluated. However, little is known about the experiences of individuals who use FDTs, including perceptions of use, acceptance, and effects on driver behaviour. The Australian Automobile Association funded the research into FDTs from which this presentation draws. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of existing users of FDT (n = 28) between November 2022 and June 2023. Participant groups included drivers (n = 17), middle managers and data users (n = 7), and executives (n = 4) from different commercial organisations that were trialling or had adopted FDT. Results Preliminary thematic analysis has identified a range of factors underlying driver and organisational acceptance of FDTs. These include: data privacy, vendor support, technical merit, training load, intrusiveness, and cost. Drivers perceived their behaviour to be moderately impacted by FDT in positive and negative ways. This included impacts on sleep/wake behaviour, in-cab activities, and driving performance. Certain types of FDT were considered highly contentious by all existing user groups. Discussion FDT adds further complexity to the contentious topic of fatigue management for professional drivers. Findings highlight a range of implications for FDT adoption and effective evaluation.

Vice-chancellor narcissism and university performance

Universities hold a prominent role in knowledge creation through research and education. In this study, we examine the effects of VC narcissism on university performance. We measure VC narcissism based on the size of the signature, in line with a methodological approach which has been widely used in the recent literature and repeatedly validated in laboratory experiments. We exploit a quasi-natural experiment of VC changes and employ a Difference-in-Difference research design, which alleviates concerns related to endogeneity and identification bias. We show that the appointment of a highly narcissistic VC leads to an overall deterioration in research and teaching performance and concomitantly league table performance. We further identify excessive financial risk taking and empire-building as possible mechanisms explaining the main results and provide evidence on the moderating role of university governance. Our findings are consistent with the view that narcissism is one of the most prominent traits of destructive leadership; they also have practical implications for leadership recruitment and the monitoring of leadership practices in the higher education sector. The results of this study extend prior research in several ways. Extant literature on executive leadership and narcissism yields inconclusive findings; this literature has mainly focused on for-profit organisations and has not considered universities. In addition, prior research in higher education on the determinants of university performance has not yet examined the role of leadership personality traits.