Journal of Applied Business and Economics
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE
<p style="text-align: justify;">The<strong> Journal of Applied Business and Economics</strong> <strong>(JABE)</strong> is dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of business and economic knowledge by publishing, through a blind, refereed process, ongoing results of research in accordance with international scientific or scholarly standards. Articles are written by business leaders, policy analysts and active researchers for an audience of specialists, practitioners and students. Articles of regional interest are welcome, especially those dealing with lessons that may be applied in other regions around the world. This would include, but not limited to areas of marketing, management, finance, accounting, management information systems, human resource management, organizational theory and behavior, operations management, economics and econometrics, or any of these disciplines in an international context.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Focus of the articles should be on applications and implications of business, management and economics. Theoretical articles are welcome as long as their focus is in keeping with JABE’s applied nature.</p>North American Business Pressen-USJournal of Applied Business and Economics1499-691X<div><span class="theme-text-color-1-2">Please review our <a href="http://www.nabpress.com/copyright" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="label">Copyright Notice</span></a>.</span></div>How Microeconomics Works Within a Firm
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7492
<p>While it is a widespread practice for business majors to take the microeconomics course in the early years of their college education, for most students it is followed by courses in other disciplines such as accounting, finance, and marketing. In turn, in these disciplines, the formulation of theory, models and examples involve use of nomenclature specific to that discipline such as accounting and financial performances. Sometimes the word “economic” measure does appear in these discipline specific courses. Many of these concepts and models with resulting measures though perceived to be developed in different business disciplines, they originate from or developed utilizing the micro economic theory. In this study, we plan to link together the microeconomic theory and its applications in development of concepts and models in other disciplines so that student and practitioners will be able tie in a seamless manner, and if necessary, modify these concepts to apply and solve business issues in a firm.</p>Prakash Deo
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Applied Business and Economics
2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7492A Practical Exploration of Work-Family Balance
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7493
<p>This paper analyzes the dimensions of work and family interrole conflicts and modified a process developed by Yavas, Babakus, and Karatepe (2008). The effects of work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC), and stress on intent to stay (ITS) with an organization were analyzed and tested. The paper (a) presents and tests a revised version of the work-family and family-work conflict model and provides support for associated hypotheses; (b) investigates how constructs of FWC, WFC, stress, and ITS to stay with an organization are related in keeping with the model; and (c) presents and discusses the results. Four implications for human resource development practice emerged as well as implications for theory and future research.</p>Joy CooperLarry Davis
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Applied Business and Economics
2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7493Exploring the Dual-Card Crisis Under the Information Asymmetry
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7494
<p>The article aimed to explore Taiwan’s dual-card crisis under the information asymmetry. Different from South Korea or Hong Kong, the card debts in Taiwan were derived from the credit cards and the cash cards. To achieve the goal, the article constructed the information asymmetry model combined with the adverse selections and the moral hazards. The results showed that the adverse selections and the moral hazards did exist in the dual-card market which led to the dual-card crisis. To cope with the dual-card crisis, the conclusion implied that the card debts in the dual-card market needed to be solved at the same time.</p>Chih-Hsiung Chang
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7494An Overview on the China Oil and Gas Market
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7495
<p>The article presents China’s oil and gas market, outlining its legal framework regulatory authorities of the market transport and distribution entities. Furthermore, the article discusses the primary strengths of China’s oil and gas sector, including extensive government support, rising domestic demand, and substantial investments in both strategic reserves and international partnerships. It also identifies areas of vulnerability, such as heavy reliance on imports, regulatory unpredictability, aging infrastructure, and environmental concerns, which challenge industry stability. Lastly, the SWOT analysis highlights key opportunities for growth in technology and innovation and market liberalization identifying external and internal risks.</p>Grasu Stelian
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7495Does Competition Make Businesses Resilient?
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7496
<p>This study investigates the relation between industry-level competition and the stock market's response to an exogenous shock. Specifically, we utilize the stock market's reaction to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, which caused a significant market decline. Our findings reveal that firms operating in highly concentrated industries (lower competition), as measured by the Herfindahl index, experienced more pronounced negative returns following the attacks. Therefore, firms in less competitive fields may not be prepared for the unexpected. These results support the notion that competition bolsters business resilience to shocks and underscore the importance for investors to consider product market structures when evaluating firm performance.</p>Ravi JainRajeeb Poudel Nina Rogers
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7496Consumption Subsidies Revisited
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7497
<p>The Japanese government launched the “GO TO Travel” campaign in late July, 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic to rescue beleaguered tourism industries by subsidizing travel expenses by 35%. The Cabinet Office, responsible for compiling national account statistics in Japan, determined that these subsidies should be treated as individual final consumption expenditures of the general government. This treatment implies that defrayal of these subsidies by the government was regarded as “consumption subsidies,” by using the term proposed by Jean-Claude Roman in 1985. However, the SNA in its 1993 version and in its 2008 version did not incorporate this concept. So, the Cabinet Office’s treatment is against the present SNA’s recommendations, though she changed the treatment by the end of November 2021. However, it may be worth reconsidering the concept and its treatment. In this paper, the author will review the discussion to clarify the key points involved.</p>Itsuo Sakuma
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7497Exam Proctoring in Online Business Education: Empirical Insights and Strategic Recommendations
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7498
<p>This study examines the impact of exam proctoring on student performance in online MBA courses. Following the literature, this topic remains relatively understudied in graduate-level online business courses, particularly those focusing on economics. Using data from two sections of an online MBA economics course – one with proctored exams and one without – the study identifies a significant performance gap, with students in the proctored setting achieving lower scores. The findings further suggest that proctoring methods and students' comfort with proctoring technology can influence performance. Based on these results, strategic recommendations for improving exam practices in online MBA programs are provided.</p>Rattaphon WuthisatianNamporn Thanetsunthorn
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7498The Impact of Ambulatory Acquisitions on the Cost of Business
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7499
<p>This study contributes to the literature regarding the increase in acquisition activity and the annual increase in the cost of health insurance premiums for small to middle size businesses. Th research specifically addressed the HCPCS billing rates of procedures before and after acquisition; it examined the annual increase in the percentage of ambulatory physicians compared to the increase percentage in health insurance premiums, and the increase in health insurance premiums was evaluated based on age, type of firm, and size of the firm. The results indicated a statistically significant difference in the billing rates of procedures before and after ambulatory acquisition.</p>Elizabeth Thomas KossStanley W. SelfKimberly Riley
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7499Guyana in 2025: The Confluence of a Possible Dénouement of Its Centuries-Long Territorial Dispute and Its Newfound Oil Wealth
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7500
<p>In recent years Guyana has been featured in the news disproportionally. This paper begins with a short overview of the country’s vital statistics, followed by a brief review of Guyana’s political and economic pre- and post-independence history, incorporating a synopsis of its longstanding territorial dispute with its neighbor, Venezuela. The paper highlights Guyana’s recent recognition as a potentially large oil-producing nation, whose economy since 2020 has recorded the highest growth rate in the world. In 2023, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 33%. With the government committed to deploying the country’s newfound wealth towards modernizing the economy and increasing living standards for all its citizens, Guyana’s vulnerability to the “Dutch disease” and the “resource curse” are discussed along with the technical support provided by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank who are assisting with the country’s development program.</p>Ira Sohn
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7500Comparative Analysis of Regional Economic Conditions in South Texas, Including Business Manager, Local Resident, and University Student Perceptions
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7501
<p>This report focuses on comprehensive documentation concerning regional economic indicators for Kleberg County, Texas, located in the Coastal Bend Region along the Gulf of Mexico. It is compared to two other South Texas counties, Texas, and United States for perspectives. The benchmark counties were chosen on the basis of their level of tourism, which is a key economic driver in the region. The research is of value to Journal of Applied Business & Economics readers from elsewhere because it is an example of regional economic analysis. Part 1 presents a broad range of demographic data, while Part 2 focuses on economic conditions. Demographic characteristics and economic conditions. Part 3 presents opinions of local business managers, residents and students regarding economic conditions, including preferred government spending. This report builds on the base of economic information is designed to provide decision-makers a valuable economic tool for strategic planning.</p>Thomas M. Krueger
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Applied Business and Economics
2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7501The Influence of Fashion Creep on Dress Etiquette: Is Your Organization Marked Safe?
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7502
<p>As consumers navigate a world increasingly influenced by digital media, globalization, and progressive social norms, their fashion choices often serve as a form of personal expression and identity. Though individuals are encouraged to exercise freedom of expression, certain espoused fashion statements in public settings challenge socially acceptable societal norms and business etiquette. Thus, business etiquette and historical trends are marked “unsafe” from the ever-changing fashion industry trends. Evolutions in fashion and variations in cultural trends continue to challenge traditional dress norms in the workplace, formal public establishments, and classrooms across America. If inconsistent with organizational norms, these changes influence unfavorable perceptions of constituents and the respective organizations. Managing these impressions becomes critical for decision-makers desiring to protect an organization’s reputation and brand image. This paper explores the underlying dynamics shaping dressing norms, the paradigm shift, influences on professional attire, and outcomes associated with style selections. To embrace the changes and protect company images, we recommend continuous evaluation and reinforcement of dress code policies. We examine External Conformity Theory and Impression.</p>Debra Y. HunterAkins Ogungbure
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7502Integrating the Stock Market Simulation Into the Core Curriculum of a Business Program: Evidence of the Impact on Learning From a Longitudinal Study
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7503
<p>This study examines the impact of a multi-year stock market simulation on undergraduate business students at East Central University. We used a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach to analyze quantitative data (simulation participation, trades, and assessment scores) and qualitative data (student reflection papers) across lower and upper-division courses. Results indicate increased engagement and knowledge, with upper-level students showing better assessment performance. While complementary investing education did not significantly affect performance, qualitative analysis revealed deeper learning beyond quantitative measures. The findings support integrating simulations throughout the curriculum to enhance business students’ financial literacy and investing competency.</p>Germain N. Pichop
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7503My IRA: Making Up Ground or Cashing It in?
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7504
<p>We interpret participation in Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) in the United States over time from both an economic and socio-behavioral perspective. We report an IRA plateau with about 33% of families aged 30-64 participating during 1999 – 2007. The participation rate has fallen steadily to about 23% in recent years. From an economic perspective, expectations of greater non-pension retirement resources appear to induce a decline in IRA participation. Greater current resources lead to more persistent pension participation. In terms of social factors, we observe notable gender differences in the composition of IRAs.</p>Bing ChenFrank P. StaffordXiaohui Yang
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7504Strategic Service Marketing: Competing on Exemplary Service Quality and Innovation for Customer Satisfaction
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7528
<p>The purpose of the paper was to carryout a thorough and critical review and analysis of the empirical literature on strategic service marketing. Also analyzed is the unique characteristics of the service industry and the fast-changing competitive marketplace. Moreover, the role of innovation in service delivery and the need for customer participation in exemplary service delivery are analyzed.</p> <p>The article starts with a brief introduction and overview of the concept of service marketing and the presentation of the paper's objectives. The research methodology then follows. Next, the article outlines the associate theories that support service marketing strategies and models. A comprehensive and rigorous analysis and synthesis of the empirical literature on service marketing concepts is presented. An analysis of current trends and emerging issue is also presented. Finally, the paper discusses implications for marketing decision-makers and recommends action.</p>Ashford C. Chea
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2025-02-232025-02-2327110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7528Analysis of the General Aviation Jet Industry: Competition, Concentration, and Forecasts With an Eye on Labor Markets
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7506
<p>This paper examines the global production and delivery of business jets, focusing on trends and shifts in industry concentration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). After analyzing the concentration trend, we use ARIMA models to forecast production and industry structure through 2026 and estimate the impact of changing concentration on employment. Although estimates indicate increasing concentration in the large jet sector, a potential increase in deliveries and growing GDP could offset the higher HHI. The findings offer valuable information for policymakers and analysts interested in capital-intensive industries while contributing to broader discussions on market competition and labor dynamics.</p>Jesse JacobsRob Catlett
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2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7506Enlisting Citizen Developers to Deliver Digital Business Value With Generative AI & Low-Code Development Platforms
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7524
<p>Enterprise IT organizations face a chronic undersupply of trained programming professionals leading to an application supply-demand disequilibrium. To address this unmet need, Generative AI (GenAI) and Low-Code Development Platforms (LCDP) are maturing and making application development by non-professional programmers a viable possibility. Using GenAI and LCDPs, “Citizen Developers” can rapidly develop and deploy applications to deliver business functionality using IT-sanctioned platforms. However, several issues need to be considered before Citizen Developers can safely produce usable applications. GenAI as an application development platform is a recent phenomenon with limited experiential data as to its viability: therefore, our paper presents a case study of the five-year journey that one enterprise took to implement a LCDP, recounting the successes and challenges in adopting the platform.</p>Erik KroghMark W.S. Chun
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2025-02-232025-02-2327110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7524An Analysis of Japan’s Economic Development: Lessons for China
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7525
<p>Japan has played an important role in the global economy for several decades. This study comprehensively analyzes factors contributing to Japan’s economic development using World Bank data and both expenditure and value-added approaches of gross domestic product measurement. Personal consumption and investment contributed the most to Japan’s economic growth in the expenditure model, while the labor rate and service industry productivity were the most important in the value-added model. Further, this study examines changes in these economic factors to explore their impact on Japan’s economy. Finally, this paper discusses lessons for China based on Japan’s experiences.</p>Yueyun ChenNika Qiao
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2025-02-232025-02-2327110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7525The Application of the Sahm Rule to Determine the Likelihood of a Recession in 2025
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7526
<p>Over the decades a significant issue has been the degree to which expert analysts and economists have the ability to accurately predict the onset of a recession. The studies done to track trends and the early indicators of potential recessions have had mixed results that vary as much as the experts' opinions. However, one measure of predicting recessions has its supporters and proponents. The measure known as Claudia Sahm developed the Sahm Rule. This study is a twofold analysis of the Sahm Rule and its instrumentality in the analysis and predictions for the year 2025.</p>David M. Savino
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2025-02-232025-02-2327110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7526REIT Price-to-Net Asset Value, Performance, and Managerial Entrenchment
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7527
<p>This study examines P/NAV dynamics in the REIT industry, utilizing NAV estimates from SNL Financial and stock returns and distributions from CRSP. The findings reveal that REITs typically trade at a premium to their NAVs around IPOs, transitioning to a discount approximately 30 months later. The analysis also shows a positive association between P/NAV and future excess NAV returns, consistent with Chay and Trzcinka (1999). Furthermore, the results suggest high past excess stock returns indicate managerial ability, creating market expectations reflected in premiums. However, when controlling cross-sectional correlation, this relationship loses statistical significance. Additional findings indicate that REITs with positive excess NAV returns, longer public trading histories, or CEO replacements are likelier to trade at a premium to NAV. In contrast, those led by older CEOs, CEOs with longer tenures, or recent outside appointments tend to trade at a discount. Although the negative relationship between CEO tenure and P/NAV is not statistically significant, it supports Berk and Stanton’s (2007) assertion that entrenched CEOs contribute to NAV discounts.</p>Olgun Fuat Sahin
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2025-02-232025-02-2327110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7527Strategic Partnerships of Nonprofit Organizations: A Comprehensive Literature Review
https://articlegateway.com/index.php/JABE/article/view/7505
<p>This article draws from in-depth research for the doctoral dissertation “Successful Strategic Partnerships of Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study.” Serving as a synthesis and sharing some of the content from this dissertation, it offers a comprehensive review of existing literature on the nature and dynamics of strategic partnerships within the nonprofit sector. The article begins by defining strategic partnerships, examining the diverse forms they can take, and exploring the motivations behind their formation. It further delves into the tangible benefits these partnerships can offer and addresses the common challenges organizations encounter in their collaborative efforts. Additionally, key success factors that enhance the effectiveness of these alliances are highlighted, as well as insights into why some partnerships fail to yield intended outcomes. With a particular emphasis on partnerships led by nonprofit leaders, this review underscores how thoughtful and well-constructed collaborations can amplify the missions of nonprofit organizations, streamline resource usage, and generate a broader community impact.</p>Janna HoglundKatrina PannJill BondsTami BeatyKennedy Maranga
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Applied Business and Economics
2025-01-262025-01-2627110.33423/jabe.v27i1.7505