Search results for "ample"

2019

Background The SCL-K-9 is the latest short version of the multidimensional Symptom-Checklist 90-R. Up to now, its psychometric properties have not been clarified sufficiently as the nine items have not yet been presented exclusively in a representative sample. Therefore, psychometric properties, model fit values as well as norm-values were analyzed. Methods For the sample, N = 2,507 participants aged 14 to 92, n = 1,379 women and n = 1,128 men, and a mean age of 48.79 (SD = 17.91), were selected from the general population by random-route sampling. Confirmatory factor analyses applying full information maximum likelihood (FIML) tested the model fit. The reliability estimations and effect si…

Construct Validity and Population-Based Norms of the German Brief Resilience Scale (BRS).

2018

Abstract. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) measures the ability to recover from stress. To provide further evidence for construct validity of the German BRS and to determine population-based norms, a large sample (N = 1,128) representative of the German adult population completed a survey including the BRS and instruments measuring perceived stress and the resilience factors optimism, self-efficacy, and locus of control. Confirmatory factor analyses showed best model fit for a five-factor model differentiating the ability to recover from stress from the three resilience factors. On the basis of latent and manifest correlations, convergent and discriminant validity of the BRS were fair to g…

Do Large European Banks Differ in their Derivative Disclosure Practices? A Cross-country Empirical Study.

2019

Risk disclosure has strategic importance for the efficiency of financial markets and overall financial stability. It plays a pivotal role in strengthening market discipline and building trust to improve relationships with stakeholders in banking. Risk reporting has taken a growing importance in banking over the last years. The topic of this paper is derivative reporting in banking. The authors employ content analysis to conduct an empirical study on a sample of large European banks. The authors propose a hybrid scoring model for the assessment of derivative disclosure in banking institutions. The methodology employed in this research is able to capture a considerable amount of information b…

Financial Structure of the Family Business: Evidence From a Group of Small Spanish Firms

2007

This article presents empirical evidence on the determinants of the financial behavior of small family businesses and their differences from nonfamily small businesses. Taking into account two consolidated financial approaches, (1) the trade-off theory and (2) the pecking order theory, several hypotheses on the financial behavior of both groups of firms have been tested. By estimating these models through panel data methodology, using a sample of Spanish family businesses together with another control group of nonfamily businesses, we have obtained results confirming that a business's family nature does lead it to employ financial policy different from the rest of businesses. Furthermore, …

The Impact of Board Internationalization on Earnings Management

2016

Prior literature shows that choices regarding board composition are associated with earnings management. We add to this literature by examining the effects of the presence of a foreign board member on earnings management. Using a sample of 3,249 firm-year observations representing 586 non-financial listed Nordic firms during 2001-2008, we find that the presence of a non-Nordic, foreign director is associated with significantly higher levels of earnings management. Moreover, we provide preliminary evidence that differences in accounting knowledge drive this effect. Our results suggest that it may not necessarily be beneficial to appoint a foreign director to the board.

Informal, formal institutions and credit: complements or substitutes?

2019

AbstractThis paper analyses the relationship between informal institutions measured by social trust and the provision of private credit. Research on the trust–finance relationship abounds, although most of it is confined to the micro-level, with far fewer contributions from a wide, cross-country perspective. Considering a sample of 119 economies in the period 1993–2015, results suggest that social trust is an important determinant of private credit, and that its effects are transmitted indirectly via some particular aspects of the quality of economic-judicial institutions. In addition, and contrary to previous findings in related areas, substitutive effects for informal and formal instituti…

Operational and financial performance of Italian airport companies: A dynamic graphical model

2016

Abstract This paper provides evidence on the relationship within a set of financial and operational indicators for Italian airports over 2008–2014. The limited sample size of national and regional airports suggests to apply the penalised RCON ( V , E ) model, which falls within the class of Gaussian graphical models. It provides both estimate and easy way to visualise conditional independence structures of the variables. Moreover, it is particularly suitable for handling longitudinal data where small number of units and huge number of variables have been collected. Findings highlight that a qualified concept of size matters in determining good financial performance. Specifically, increasing…

Are we correctly measuring the rotational viscosity of heterogeneous bituminous binders?

2020

Modified bituminous binders allow asphalt technologists to design asphalt mixtures with superior performance. However, several recent studies highlighted that due to the complexity of these material, their characterisation can be challenging since common procedures used to characterise neat bitumen might not be adequate. For instance, during high temperature rotational viscosity testing of recycled tyre rubber modified binders (RTR-MB), a number of changes may occur to the sample leading to the here-defined sample stability which in turn provides misleading results. In this study the authors want to first provide a deeper understanding of this phenomenon by a numerical analysis using a besp…

Assessing cruise port of call performance: a passenger-based approach using PLS modelling

2017

ABSTRACTIn the present context of booming cruise demand, the study aims to advance the knowledge on port of call performance from cruise passengers’ perspective. The aim of this investigation was twofold: (1) to examine the structural links among port of call perceived quality–satisfaction–future intentions (revisit and word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviour); and (2) to test the moderating effect of cruisers’ motivation (push versus pull factors) to visit the port of call on the proposed structural links. Partial least squares path modelling was used to test the proposed model with a sample of 492 cruise passengers at a Mediterranean port of call. The findings revealed that port of call quality has…

Driver stress in five Spanish-speaking countries: Construct validity of the LatinSET

2020

Abstract Introduction Driver stress is a phenomenon many have studied in probably all five continents. It has been the focus of curiosity for all sorts of disciplines, and science has been unable to curb it, much less park it. Objectives This study aims to generate a unique scale that can be used in Spanish speaking countries regardless of culture or geography. Method and Materials A sample of 1954 drivers from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile and Spain was comprised. Through this study, the original 21 items of the ISET (Stressful Situations in Transit Inventory, in Spanish) were used to carry out both an Exploratory Factorial Analysis as well as a Confirmatory Factorial Analysis. Resu…