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A STUDY OF CRISIS RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND MEDIA SELECTION: A CASE STUDY OF CAMPUS ACTIVITY
INJURY INCIDENTS

HUI-CHUNG YAO, KHAI-THUAN TRAN

This study uses an experiment of campus activity injury incident as a case to evaluate the effects of crisis response strategies (apology, sympathy and information only) and media (Facebook and online newspaper) on responsibility, reputation, participants’ emotions, and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). Data was collected from 206 students and their parents in a Vietnamese university. The findings indicate that the sympathy strategy is a better strategy that can result in lower fear than the information strategy and apology strategy. Participants’ anger and fear is higher in the online newspaper condition which means that participants felt more anger regarding news from traditional media (online newspaper) than the Facebook condition in this experiment. Sympathy via Facebook condition is a better combination which can make stakeholders less anger and fear than the other combinations. Additionally, sympathy via online newspaper is a better combination which can make less NWOM than the combination of apology via Facebook. In the information condition, Facebook leads to less stakeholder anger than an online newspaper. Similarly, in the sympathy condition the online newspaper led to more fear than Facebook. The findings are in line with Schultz et al. (2011) who argued that the medium was more important than the message. This is the first study that focused on the effect of the combination of crisis responses strategies and media in a Vietnamese university and the outcome of this study calls for more research on various crisis response strategies via social media in Vietnam.

Facebook, Anger, Fear, Crisis Responses Strategies, Crisis Communication

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: REVISITING THE CASE OF THE CAMCCUL MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS

MARCEL T. NGAMBI (PH.D.)AND PRISCA S. NDIFOR

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a comprehensive strategy of acquiring, retaining, and partnering with selective customers to create superior value for the company and the customer. It is a mutually beneficial relationship built upon a foundation of trust and loyalty through marketing, customer service, and relationship programs.
This study re-examines the link between CRM and the performance of Microfinance Institutions in the Republic of Cameroon. The fierce competition of MFIs in today’s business environment has forced them to seek long-term profitable relationship with customers and retain them. We used a multiple regression model to regress some measure of performance on variables representing CRM practices namely, customer satisfaction, and computerized management of customer relationship, customer retention, and financial bonding.The main finding of this study is thatcontrarily to a previous study the computerized management of customer relationship so far does not have positive impact on performance. Customer retention programs appear to be the main driver for firm performance

customer relation, customer retention, customer satisfaction, relationship management

THE INFLUENCE OF COMMUNICATION AND MOTIVATION FACTORS ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN THE GENERATION X AND Y 1)

HERMIN FATIMAH, ARYA HADI DHARMAWAN, EUIS SUNARTI, M. JOKO AFFANDI

The research was conducted at the head office of a bank in Jakarta, Indonesia. The study aims to examine the influence of communication and motivation on employee engagement in the generation X and Y. This study is also intended to determine whether there are perception differences between generation X and generation Y in these two factors. The total respondents were 220 people, including 119 for the sample of generation X and 101 for the sample of generation Y. Using comparison test (t test) and Structural Equation Modeling, it is noted there are no significant differences between generation X and generation Y for the factor of communication in general.  This is because the communication atmosphere in the bank in general was considered already good both by the employees, especially on the openness and trust indicators.However in the sub indicators on participation, there is a significant difference between generation X and generation Y in which generation Y is lower than generation X.  Therefore, the supervisor should give more chances to generation Y employee in communicating policies relevant to their duties so they can improve their participation. In addition, there is a significant difference for the factor of motivation, especially contributed by the intrinsic factor in which generation Y is lower than generation X. To improve the intrinsic motivation especially for generation Y, the organization has to create a challenging work atmosphere beside the clarity of work responsibility, career, and performance reward.In both generations, there are significant influence of communication and motivation on employee engagement. Therefore, the communication atmosphere within the organization needs to be maintained conducive. In addition, organizations need to constantly create policies that encourage and motivate employees.

communication, employee engagement, motivation, generation X, generation Y

EMPLOYEE TURNOVER INTENTIONS IN INDONESIAN BANKING

MUHAMMAD RUSDI  , AIDA VITAYALA S. HUBEIS, M. JOKO AFFANDI, ARYA HADI DHARMAWAN

The purpose of this study was  to analyze the factors that influence turnover intentions in Bank X. The number of samples in this study were as many as 200 samples. The analysis techniques used are Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis.   Factors that have an influence on employee turnover intentions of Bank X employees are work itself, salary and job security where have positive influence, while responsibility and personal life factors have negative influence.

Employees, Job security, Personal life,  Responsibility, Turnover intentions

THE TOLL OF GLOBALIZATION ON INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION CAN BE SEVERE: LEBANON IS NO EXCEPTION

ELHAM S. HASHAM

In a global economy, internationalization is an increasingly important factor for all higher education providers. Internationalization enhances the quality of education for it analyzes processes, shares findings, looks at implications and innovations, disseminates results, and aims to stimulate reflection and action. Quality assurance such as international policies, procedures, and programs commences with the deliverer of the program, be it domestic or international. Accordingly, globalization is the catalyst and while internationalization is the response; internationalization has globalization as its goal.

“Globalization is the flow of technology, economy, knowledge, people, values, ideas…across borders. Globalization…affects each country in a different way due to a nation’s individual history, traditions, culture and priorities. Internationalization of higher education is one of the ways a country responds to the impact of globalization yet, at the same time respects the individuality of the nation” [22].

Internationalization allows students to learn about other cultures and provides them with higher education opportunities abroad in areas where local institutions lack the competencies, abilities and knowledge [3]. Lebanon is no exception and has not escaped this globalization phenomenon and, consequently, Middle Eastern countries have become a common destination due to proximity. As a result, Lebanese Universities must revisit strategic issues and address pending challenges such as admission requirements, entrance exams, assessment procedures, curricular adaptation, and quality teaching.

Lebanese higher education, globalization, internationalization, nationalization.

DIAGNOSING THE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KIGALI, RWANDA

TINEGA HARON CHWEYA, ONDWARI DAISY NYANGANYI,  KEROSI JOSEPHAT BOSIRE

Organizations are constantly transforming in order to keep pace with the rapid changes in business environment. However, if the underlying values remain the same, all the proposed changes might be in vain as people will continue working in a same way than they are used to. Change is not just adopting new systems and methods, but it requires changes in underlying assumptions and values, hence organisational culture. This research used Quinn and Rohrbaugh ‘s Competing Values Framework in diagnosing the overall cultural profile of the organisation and dominant characteristic traits. By the help of the Organizational Cultural Assessment Instrument (OCAI), the researchers were able to identify the current and preferred culture that exists in the University of Kigali and the extent to which this is perceived to be appropriate by those involved at the University. The OCAI printed questionnaire was filled by thirteen full time academic staff. It was observed that market culture is the most general culture however, the academic staff feel that adhocracy culture should be preferred.

Competing Values Framework, Corporate Culture, Cultural Profile, Organisational Culture.

SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT: SOFTWARE METRICS CLASSIFICATION DECISION-MAKING

Ursula Y. Christian and Mohamad Saleh Hammoud

The success of software projects is dependent upon useful software metrics, which create value by providing insight into the complex software development environments. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore how software project management lived experiences of software engineers may influence decision-making in the selection of software metrics for managing, planning, and controlling software development and maintenance tasks for project success. A qualitative interpretive phenomenological research method was employed to explore how lived experiences of software engineers can be used to classify software metrics to meet organization goals. A purposeful homogeneous sample of senior-level software engineers was selected. As a multi-disciplinary field, software engineering, which crosses many technological and social boundaries, was inclined to rely on social and cognitive processes surrounding the human decision-making experience. The findings in this exploratory study provided affirmation of the benefit of studying human experiences in software project management decision-making. The findings identified five major themes and three minor themes, which were supported by the current literature.

Software Metrics Classification, Decision-Making for Software Development Tools , Software Project Management, Quality Control, Selection of Software Engineering Tools