Business group affiliation, board quality and audit pricing behavior: evidence from indian companies

This study examines the relationships among business group affiliation, board quality and audit fees in an emerging market setting. Using data from Indian firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) over a nine-year period (2004-2012), our results indicate that firms affiliated with a business group pay higher audit fees than those without such affiliations. We also find that group-affiliated firms with higher-quality boards pay relatively higher audit fees compared to other counterparts. Further, our findings suggest that group-affiliated firms pay lower fee premiums when an audit is undertaken by a Big 4 firm or its affiliates, which implies that economies of scale may be a potential competitive advantage held by larger auditors. The results of the study have implications for the management of audit fees by group-affiliated firms through board structure and processes.

Strategies for B2B electronic markets : delivering business value to buyers and sellers

This paper discusses the key elements of effective and successful strategies for organisations engaging in Business-to-Business (B2B) Electronic Markets. Existing literature have concentrated on developing schemas for categorising B2B Electronic Markets, and evaluating the innovative business models they employ, with less focus on understanding the business value of B2B Electronic Markets from a multi-stakeholder, business strategy perspective. In the present business climate, business managers and executives are keen to discover strategies to maximise performance improvements associated with ICT adoption. Based on case studies of B2B Electronic Markets, this paper discusses the importance of (i) creating and distributing business value among the various stakeholders, (ii) determining a pragmatic approach for engaging in B2B Electronic Markets, and (iii) managing the transformation of business processes associated with B2B Electronic Markets. The study contributes to practice and research by presenting rich empirical insights into the operations ofB2B Electronic Markets, and providing suggestions for future research in the topic area.

The influence of cultural attributes on intergenerational succession in the Chinese-Australian family business

Research on succession in family business has been traditionally concentrated on planning and strategies in terms of management, ownership and governance. There is an increasing concern on the family influence on the process of succession. This paper discusses the role that the family culture plays in sustaining a family's commitment to its business. In particular, the family business is a prominent form of organisation among the ethnic Chinese expatriate business families. Since the I 980s, under the business migration programme, the increase of Chinese migrants has contributed significantly to the cultural landscape of Australian. This paper chooses Chinese-Australian family businesses to explore their cultural characteristics as a strong family influence on the practices of pas sing on the business to the next generation.

A case example : integrating ethics into the academic business curriculum

This paper combines a review of existing literature in the field of business ethics education and a case study relating to the integration of ethics into an undergraduate degree. Prior to any discussion relating to the integration of ethics into the business curriculum, we need to be cognisant of, and prepared for, the arguments raised by sceptics in both the business and academic environments, in regard to the teaching of ethics. Having laid this foundation, the paper moves to practical questions such as who should teach ethics, and when and how can ethics be taught. The paper presents alternative models for the teaching of ethics in the curriculum of undergraduate and postgraduate business programmes. An integrative model is elaborated on in more detail with a case example describing the six-stage process undertaken in the move from a single entry course to an integrated approach. The case study details not only the planning and initial implementation of ethical education in the context of an undergraduate business degree programme, but also the means by which a change in the way that ethics is taught was achieved in a business faculty in a tertiary institution.

A new evidence-based approach to weight management in primary care: the Counterweight Programme

Background/Aims Obesity has become a global epidemic, and a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Management strategies and treatment protocols are however poorly developed and evaluated. The aim of the Counterweight Programme is to develop an evidence-based model for the management of obesity in primary care.

Methods The Counterweight Programme is based on the theoretical model of Evidence-Based Quality Assessment aimed at improving the management of obese adults (18–75 years) in primary care. The model consists of four phases: (1) practice audit and needs assessment, (2) practice support and training, (3) practice nurse-led patient intervention, and (4) evaluation. Patient intervention consisted of screening and treatment pathways incorporating evidence-based approaches, including patient-centred goal setting, prescribed eating plans, a group programme, physical activity and behavioural approaches, anti-obesity medication and weight maintenance strategies. Weight Management Advisers who are specialist obesity dietitians facilitated programme implementation. Eighty practices were recruited of which 18 practices were randomized to act as controls and receive deferred intervention 2 years after the initial audit.

Results By February 2004, 58 of the 62 (93.5%) intervention practices had been trained to run the intervention programme, 47 (75.8%) practices were active in implementing the model and 1256 patients had been recruited (74% female, 26% male, mean age 50.6 years, SD 14). At baseline, 75% of patients had at one or more co-morbidity, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 36.9 kg/m2 (SD 5.4). Of the 1256 patients recruited, 91% received one of the core lifestyle interventions in the first 12 months. For all patients followed up at 12 months, 34% achieved a clinical meaningful weight loss of 5% or more. A total of 51% of patients were classed as compliant in that they attended the required level of appointments in 3, 6, and 12 months. For fully compliant patients, weight loss improved with 43% achieving a weight loss of 5% or more at 12 months.

Conclusion The Counterweight Programme is an evidence-based weight management model which is feasible to implement in primary care.

Short-term cognitive-behavioural group treatment for hoarding disorder: a naturalistic treatment outcome study

The study aim was to test whether a 12-week publically rebated group programme, based upon Steketee and Frost's Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based hoarding treatment, would be efficacious in a community-based setting. Over a 3-year period, 77 participants with clinically significant hoarding were recruited into 12 group programmes. All completed treatment; however, as this was a community-based naturalistic study, only 41 completed the post-treatment assessment. Treatment included psychoeducation about hoarding, skills training for organization and decision making, direct in-session exposure to sorting and discarding, and cognitive and behavioural techniques to support out-of-session sorting and discarding, and nonacquiring. Self-report measures used to assess treatment effect were the Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R), Savings Cognition Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales. Pre-post analyses indicated that after 12 weeks of treatment, hoarding symptoms as measured on the SI-R had reduced significantly, with large effect sizes reported in total and across all subscales. Moderate effect sizes were also reported for hoarding-related beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depressive symptoms. Of the 41 participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires, 14 (34%) were conservatively calculated to have clinically significant change, which is considerable given the brevity of the programme judged against the typical length of the disorder. The main limitation of the study was the moderate assessment completion rate, given its naturalistic setting. This study demonstrated that a 12-week group treatment for hoarding disorders was effective in reducing hoarding and depressive symptoms in an Australian clinical cohort and provides evidence for use of this treatment approach in a community setting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE: A 12-week group programme delivered in a community setting was effective for helping with hoarding symptoms with a large effect size. Hoarding beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depression were reduced, with moderate effect sizes. A third of all participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires experienced clinically significant change. Suggests that hoarding CBT treatment can be effectively translated into real-world settings and into a brief 12-session format, albeit the study had a moderate assessment completion rate.

Tracking and tracing applications of 3G for SMEs

With dynamic growth and acceptance of mobile devices, many innovative business applications are beginning to emerge. Tracking and tracing seems to be one of the popular applications which many organisations have initiated, often facilitated by location based services provided by mobile network operators. However, there are many issues associated with the provisioning of this application with current technologies and business models. Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) that make up a significant segment of businesses worldwide do not yet seem able to benefit widely from these services. In this chapter, we initially review current technologies/ applications and the issues associated with them, drawing from research and the experiences of a long term ongoing action research project with SMEs in the trade sector. Subsequently, we explore the opportunities offered by 3G services/business applications to SMEs, and provide a broad critical outlook on future opportunities for SMEs to benefit from 3G services.

Surviving financial distress : the case of too many herbs and spices

Over 120 years ago Sir James Burns founded an organisation that is today, the international business group of Burns Philp and Company Ltd. The Group is widely known as a leading producer of yeast products and manufacturer of other bakery ingredients. Its ability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of business is widely recognised. During the late 1980’s however, after the group expanded into the herbs and spices industry its financial state deteriorated. Yet, arguably the Group had entered a market that complimented its then existing core-activities. This paper examines circumstances surrounding that venture into herbs and spices. It argues that the Group’s financial predicament, at that time, was exacerbated by the use of conventional accounting procedures. It illustrates that up-to-date market related financial details, in lieu of accounting book constructs, more aptly assist directors, managers, all stakeholders to conduct business and make informed economic decisions. This paper suggests that it is an entity’s current financial state of affairs, with regard to tangible market referents, that enables a firm’s strategic progress and facilitates proactive management; and in turn, assists in the sustainable development of business throughout the world.

Early impact of the BEST intervention for parents stressed by adolescent substance abuse.

Youth involvement in substance abuse can be a source of considerable distress for their parents. Unilateral family interventions have been advocated as one means by which concerned family members can be supported to assist substance-abusing family members. To date there has been little research examining the impact of unilateral family interventions on the directly participating family members. In this study the early impact of an 8-week parent-group programme known as Behavioural Exchange Systems Training (BEST) was evaluated using a quasi-experimental, waiting list control design. The professionally led programme had been developed to support and assist parents in their efforts to cope with adolescent substance abuse. Subjects were 66 parents (48 families) accepted for entry into the programme between 1997 and 1998. Comparison was made between 46 parents offered immediate entry into the programme and 20 parents whose entry to the programme was delayed by an 8-week waiting list. At the first assessment 87% of parents showed elevated mental health symptoms on the General Health Questionnaire. Evidence suggested exposure to the intervention had a positive impact on parents. Compared to parents on the waiting list, parents entered immediately into the intervention demonstrated greater reductions in mental health symptoms, increased parental satisfaction, and increased use of assertive parenting behaviours.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention in an Australian primary health care setting : Greater Green Triangle (GGT) Diabetes Prevention Project

Background
Randomised controlled trials demonstrate a 60% reduction in type 2 diabetes incidence through lifestyle modification programmes. The aim of this study is to determine whether such programmes are feasible in primary health care.

Methods
An intervention study including 237 individuals 40–75 years of age with moderate or high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A structured group programme with six 90 minute sessions delivered during an eight month period by trained nurses in Australian primary health care in 2004–2006. Main outcome measures taken at baseline, three, and 12 months included weight, height, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose and lipids, plasma glucose two hours after oral glucose challenge, blood pressure, measures of psychological distress and general health outcomes. To test differences between baseline and follow-up, paired t-tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed.

Results
At twelve months participants' mean weight reduced by 2.52 kg (95% confidence interval 1.85 to 3.19) and waist circumference by 4.17 cm (3.48 to 4.87). Mean fasting glucose reduced by 0.14 mmol/l (0.07 to 0.20), plasma glucose two hours after oral glucose challenge by 0.58 mmol/l (0.36 to 0.79), total cholesterol by 0.29 mmol/l (0.18 to 0.40), low density lipoprotein cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/l (0.16 to 0.34), triglycerides by 0.15 mmol/l (0.05 to 0.24) and diastolic blood pressure by 2.14 mmHg (0.94 to 3.33). Significant improvements were also found in most psychological measures.

Conclusion
This study provides evidence that a type 2 diabetes prevention programme using lifestyle intervention is feasible in primary health care settings, with reductions in risk factors approaching those observed in clinical trials.

Trial Number
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN38031372

Stock price comovement: Evidence from India

We examine the extent to which stock prices comove in an emerging economy, India. We first document that stocks listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) comove. Further, we find that synchronicity is positively associated with growth and earnings volatility and negatively associated with business group affiliation and leverage.