Archives-February 2014

The present research tends to investigate the relationship between the learners’ creativity and English proficiency among Iranian EFL learners. It also tends to reveal whether there is a relationship between the learners’ creativity and gender on their English proficiency. It also explores the relationship between the learners’ creativity and gender. The participants in this study consisted of 150 undergraduate university students including 46 males and 104 females, majoring in English as a foreign language, from Shiraz Azad University. Two research instruments were used to gather the needed data for this study: 1. Torrance Test of Verbal Creativity. 2. Language Proficiency Test. Correlation coefficient, two-way ANOVA and T-test were used to analyze the collected data and the results were found as follows: 1) There is a significant relationship between the learners’ creativity and their English proficiency among EFL learners of Shiraz Azad University. 2) There is no significant relationship between the learners’ creativity and gender on their English proficiency among EFL learners of Shiraz Azad University. 3) There is a significant relationship between the learners’ creativity and their gender among EFL learners of Shiraz Azad University.

For many researchers and scholars the first and most important task is to search for finding the relationship between language and sex and becoming aware of the differences between men and women’s speech. The present article seeks to formulate the differences of male and female characterizations in using a number of discursive structures such as nominals, passives and address forms in English and Persian. This article also makes a comparison between using these structures in Persian and English. To do so, three English dramas and five Persian dramas and scenarios are selected. In each language, 120 dyads (pairs of speech act) are separately analyzed, 40 male-female dyads, 40 male-male dyads, and 40 female-female dyads. Then, the frequency of using nominals, passives, first names, imperatives, and tag questions are computed. By using statistical test of nominal data, chi-square, the differences between male and female in using discursive structures are examined to see if the differences are significant or not. Also these differences in male-male interactions as well as female-female interactions are analyzed. This procedure is done both for the English and the Persian data. At the end, the similarities and differences between English and Persian in using nominals, passives and address forms are discussed.

Each of us is a unique person, a combination of inherited genetic material and environmental influences. A basic theme and controversial issue throughout the history of psychology has been the debate and investigation of the relative roles of heredity and environment in the formation of individual differences. Despite beliefs that men are born equal, they are not. Every person possesses a unique set of genetic material bestowing them with variations in aptitude, physical development, and capacities, which in turn are acted on by the occurrence of unique environmental experiences some of which even influence the creature prenatally There are many claims, opinions, and arguments about where intelligence comes from - is it from our genetic heritage, or is it a result of the environment and our experiences? A substantial body of research tells us that both heredity and environment affect intelligence.

A watermould, isolated from the water samples taken from a ditch near the Botany Department in the campus of M.G. Postgraduate College, Gorakhpur (India), has been identified to be an oömycete having unusual affinities with other groups. The life cycle studies have shown certain typical features and indicated this member to be quite different from the existing seventeen genera of Saprolegniaceae. A stability of the characteristic features has been observed under variable cultural conditions with ± 5% variations.

An attempt has been made to determine a distribution pattern of watermoulds in slightly acidic (pH 6.5 – 7.0), near neutral (pH 7.0 – 7.5), slightly alkaline (pH 7.5 – 8.0) and moderately alkaline (pH 8.0 – 8.5) soils in Gorakhpur (India). The watermoulds, belonging to Saprolegniaceae and Blastocladiaceae families, have shown a variable occurrence in the soils of varying pH from slightly acidic to moderately alkaline. Pythiopsis cymosa has been classified under slightly acidic soil type whereas Allomyces arbuscula, Allomyces moniliformis and Allomyces javanicus, all belonging to family Blastocladiaceae, have been found to be distributed within slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.5 – 7.5) soils. Saprolegnia diclina and Saprolegnia ferax were restricted to neutral to slightly alkaline (7.0 – 8.0) soil pH whereas Achlya orion, Achlya diffusa and Brevilegnia spp. (unidentified species of Brevilegnia) have been classified as constant type. The present studies indicate Aphanomyces laevis to be characteristic of neutral to moderately alkaline (7.0 – 8.5 pH) soils and Brevilegnia bispora and Brevilegnia indica as slightly alkaline type (7.5 – 8.0 pH). In vitro variable pH experiments have shown that the watermoulds itself modify the pH of the medium and, then develop different stages of their life cycle or vice versa. Temperature has been found to modify the pH of pure water, pond water and soil-extract water and therefore, this distinctly identifies the importance of temperature in pH mediated distribution of watermoulds.

Widespread liberalization and deregulation of financial markets, cross border mergers and acquisition, increased role of investors willing to invest abroad, rapid advances in modern technology and internet – have all resulted in remarkable increase of international capital flows in India. Foreign direct investment acts as a major medium in the development of a country through up-gradation of technical know how, managerial skills and financial resources. Rise in purchasing power, growing consumption and brand flare-up has led to transformation in retail sector. FDI in retail can enlarge market by reducing operation and transformation cost of business through implementation of advanced supply chain and benefit consumers and suppliers. As well as raised concerns about employment losses, increase in competition for domestic retailers resulting in closing of small domestic retailers from the market and distortion of urban culture development. The present paper focuses on the Indian retail sector in context of opportunities of expansion of FDI in Indian retail sector and the challenges come forward that retail sector faces.

FDI is an engine in bringing the financial sector at a fast speed. FDI was encouraged by financial liberalization and market-based reforms in many Emergent Market Economies (EMEs). Now, FDI has become a key feature of national development strategies for all most all the countries over the globe. FDI has boosted the economy of India and on the other hand there are critics who have blamed the government for ousting the domestic inflows. After liberalization of Trade policies in India, there has been a positive GDP growth rate in Indian economy. The paper tries to study the need of FDI in India. The paper focuses on the trends of FDI inflows by categorize them into sector-wise, region-wise, year-wise and country wise FDI inflow in India. The result depicts that among the sectors Service sector, among the regions Mumbai and among the countries Mauritius are at the top. It also shows that there has been a remarkable increase in FDI inflow in India during the year 2000 to 2012.

In recent decades, the rate of new product development increased due to the burst of competition between organizations in developing new products, services and new markets. In such a competitive condition, the main challenge of organizations is to develop new products according to the goals of the organization and needs of customers. Therefore, this study tries to propose success factors in new product development for food industry based on a model developed using a mixed method. The preliminary model is proposed by reviewing related literature in innovation management and product development and also using semi-structured interviews with executive managers of food industry. Then using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the validity of the model and final scales were analyzed. The results show that Strategic Thinking (ST), , Product Features (PF), Skills and Abilities (SA), Internal and External Team Involvement (TI), Supply Chain Ability(SC), Development Process(DP) have a correlation with the success of new product development in food industries of Iran. Among these dimensions, market characteristic (MC) has the highest importance and after that Skills and Abilities (SA), Internal and External Team Involvement (TI) got the other ranks respectively.

This study pays attention to the assessment of the effects pertaining to various financing methods on profitability indicators and investigates various financing methods applied in stock exchange during the period 2001 to 2004. Varied factors influence on the choice of best financing method. Financing in different entities is carried out by applying various sources. In order to answer the main question of this study, two hypotheses have been used in which the relationship between various financing methods and profitability indicators has been examined. In this study we aimed at answering the question: What is the most commonly-used financing method in member companies of Tehran stock exchange? In this research we analyzed a sample including 46 member companies of Tehran stock exchange during the mentioned period. The analysis of hypotheses was done by making use of statistical test of multi-lateral regression. All hypotheses have been measured at 95% level. Research results revealed the fact that there is significance relationship among financing methods, return on assets and gross profit margin. Member companies of Tehran stock exchange are more willing to apply debt and borrowing for their financing.

This study conducted to analyse the gender biasness in education and employment sectors, which was carried out in rural area of Uttrakhand during 2000 -2010. The survey revealed that a direct intervention of some Flagship programs including women welfare meets some success in school education and provided sluggish rate of employments outreach. Further the maximum women engaged in agriculture and homestead work and a little percent of women engaged in government sectors. While Flagship satisfies the BPL and marginal groups, but there is further scope to enhance women motivation of women for their development. There is a need to make it more cost effective and pass on the benefits to workers. As for the last benchmark, the program ensures minimum leakages to a great extent by virtue of being self-targeting and non-discretionary.