MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE
Year:2008 | Volume:20 | Issue:79|Papers Count:10

Business related decisions become more perplexing as societies advance. Environmental ambiguities which stem from new business models intensify the above mentioned complexity so far as many of the affecting variables and their interrelationships are non linear and complicated. In this circumstances data analysis and knowledge extraction is not practical via traditional methods. This research concisely defines data mining technology, its models and ways that are used in this field. Then it considers the preceding researches which proposed the analytical ability of data mining in business decisions. Finally, a case study on one of the bank's customer databases is presented.

With the rapid growth of E-commerce and online consumer shopping trends, the importance of building and maintaining customer loyalty in electronic marketplaces has come into sharper focus in marketing theory and practice. This paper integrates previous research in the field of brand loyalty to present a conceptual framework of “E-loyalty” and its underlying drivers. Implications for E-marketing practice and future research directions are also presented.

To be able to compete effectively in the emerging learning environment, it is necessary that all nations continually enhance the ICT use in universities. But, successful use of ICT needs operational policies and programs that fit with the internal situations of countries. In this paper, by benchmarking 12 countries and 5 regions, 279 recommendations for enhancing the ICT use in universities are extracted and using content analysis, 23 recommendations are selected. Then, a national survey is conducted and using statistical test, the recommendations that fit with Iran internal situation are proposed. These recommendations are prioritized and categorized in three groups: necessary and urgent, necessary and not urgent, and specific for Iran. The categorization is based on three criteria of importance in pundits' opinions, country's experience, and whether or not the recommendations have been implemented. The proposed methodology is applicable for other developing countries by considering their pundits opinions.

This article tries to design and explain a model through which TV programs can result in institutionalization of the twenty- year vision deed (Iran 2025). Since the influence of Television on cognitive, normative and regulative frameworks of the societies has a consolidated theoretical base, this research is looking for the indirect influences of this media on the institutionalization process of the national vision. By using the Delphi method, expected characteristics of national vision designers were limited to enthusiasm, national pride and cooperation. In order to measure the level of adaptation of the TV programs and cultural adaptation of the society with the mentioned characteristics and also their degree of institutionalization, the survey research was conducted. The research subjects were citizens of Tehran in the age range of 20 to 64, from which an appropriate sample was selected randomly. In order to test the presented model, Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) method and LISREL software were applied. By applying the Path analysis test all the significant effects were approved and in a way the model was recognized to be appropriate based on fitness indexes of a model. In other words the results of the model test showed that it has had an acceptable explanation power. According to the findings, the mentioned model explains 38% of the changes in the level of institutionalization of the characteristics; and the rest lies within other factors rather than TV programs.

Realization of TQM as a culture and a set of strategic principles for the continuous improvement in organization, and the need for the institutionalization of Deming Axiom as the three main characteristic (Involvement, scientific knowledge, and Commitment) have been explained, and Roles of leadership for the application on TQM have been emphasized. In this research the amount of degree of such requirement on TQM in organization and its relationship with customer satisfaction have also been discussed. It has been tried to present a conceptual model based on the condition of organization in our country for the customer satisfaction. Based on the framework and exploratory interview, a questionnaire has been designed in six parts for the assessment, by academic members, experts, managers and, familiar with Total Quality Management. By utilizing, factors analysis discovery at the first and second stage, six factors of research have been investigated. Than structural models of measurement and structural analysis (Path Analysis) and theirs interaction derived from the research was discovered. It has been proved that scientific knowledge variable carry the highest amount of affect on TQM, and than Involvement, Leadership, and Commitment in-turn bears direct impact on TQM, and also TQM a direct effect on customer satisfaction.

Regarding the importance of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in economical and social growth process as well as the special attention of planners and policy-makers to this significant issue, it is necessary to take radical initiatives to improve the conditions of different enterprises. In various studies, connoisseurs and researchers have found that unchallengeable treatment of making Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) more effective is to expand entrepreneurship culture in all stages/processes of such organizations and its necessity is the availability of mangers with entrepreneurial skills. In this article resulted from an organizational research, it is attempted to review the entrepreneurial skills and the literature of the organizational effectiveness in small- to- medium businesses. Meanwhile, research methodology is explained and finally by considering research assumptions, research findings are analyzed by gathering the data of manufacturing units. Some suggestions are also provided to improve effectiveness in Iranian small-to-medium business by emphasizing on managers' entrepreneurial skills development.

The purpose of this paper is to study how the characteristics of successful managers are somehow related to their program in co-operatives. The study shows there is a significant relationship between managers' characteristics such as innovation, authority and leadership, with managerial skills, self confidence and degree of success. However, there is no correlation between intelligence, sex and managerial performance. There is also a correlation between a manager's desire to improve his/her managerial skills through training courses and successful managerial performance. Whilst the paper shows there is no correlation between personal considerations such as financial incentive or job security on one hand, and managerial performance on the other hand. In short, this study concludes that the success of the managers considering themselves as successful is related to particular personality and specific motives and incentives they possess. These characteristics enable a manager to perform with a high degree of self confidence and enthusiasms.

This study examines the relationship between organizational factors affecting corprate and potential outcomes of corporate entrepreneurship. These organizational factors include: management support, work discretion, rewarding provide enough chances for creativity, defeat organizational barriers and employee motivation. The potential outcomes of corporate entrepreneurship are Job satisfaction and perceived customer satisfaction. We collected data from 4 firms operating in communication and information technology sectors. 94 technical employees from these firms have participated in our face to face interviews. The results of the study revealed that work discretion, existence of enough chances for employees to improve their creativity and motivation, positively affect potential outcomes of corporate entrepreneurship. These results may be of practical use to firms that are trying to become more entrepreneurial.