مطالب

This interdisciplinary, descriptive, library based research adopts Mark Elin’s theory of “Personality Disorder” to study William Dorrit’s character, whose title in the novel is the “Father of Marshalsea”. Elin’s theory of personality disorder is based upon the functions of “self-memory”, of which “Reality Testing” is an important one. Applying this theory, the research shows that in the first book of the novel, William Dorrit’s personality disorder vacillates between Narcissism and inferiority complex. In the second book, however, his personality disorder turns into “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” which is caused by the overwhelming events of the past. Reality-testing, does not operate properly in William Dorrit’s mind. Consequently, he is not capable of making distinctions between memory and reality. The final outcome of this incapability is his complete mental breakdown. The other finding of this research is the existence of a structural symmetry between chapters nineteen of both books of the novel, in which the major themes are William Dorrit’s mental and psychological agitations.

Purpose: Neurotransmitters, emotional intelligence, and personality traits are the key factors that affect the behavior and decisions of individual investors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of neurotransmitters, emotional intelligence, and personality traits on the behavior and decisions of individual investors simultaneously, in the Tehran stock exchange. Design/methodology/approach: In terms of purpose, the current research was practical. In terms of method, it was a descriptive survey research. In terms of time, it was a cross-sectional research. The research data were collected through a questionnaire and convenience sampling method. The sample size was 212 individual investors. Composite reliability, average variance extracted, convergent validity and divergent validity were used to measure the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: This study includes 19 constructs (variables). These constructs include dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (neurotransmitters); Self-appraisal of emotions, other’s emotion appraisal, use of emotion and regulation of emotion (emotional intelligence); extraversion, neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness (personality traits); investment horizon, risk attitude, personalization of loss, confidence, and control (investors' behavior); and investors' decisions. The current study includes six main hypotheses and 78 sub-hypotheses. The research findings showed that neurotransmitters, emotional intelligence, and personality traits affect the investors' behavior and decisions. Originality/value: The findings of this study showed that the neurofinance and behavioral finance have a key role in decision making of policymakers and investors. Finally, the findings of this study would provide new horizons in neurofinance and behavioral finance.

Exploratory studies in understanding the impact of decisions on the sustainability of small and medium businesses during the corona disease crisis in line with the research objectives and based on the non-linear and dynamic conditions caused by the high speed of prevailing environmental changes compared to the development of a dynamic model of the decision making. These businesses, on the one hand, are fragile against crises due to their limited financial ability, and on the other hand, with high flexibility and quick decision-making power, they have the ability to adapt to the existing conditions. In order to create this model, it is necessary to identify the problem, and in order to answer the research questions therefor it is necessary to develop a theory based on the opinions of experts and available data. This theory is due to the special conditions and the lack of previous experience result of the Grounded Theory’s methodology, that it should indicate all the effective factors in the field of decision-making in these businesses in Iran and the causal relationships between them and affected by the existing background conditions and it is an environmental interferes. background factors and identifying the impact of environmental interferes on the decision-making process in SME under the conditions of the Corona crisis. This theory states that the decision-making process for the sustainability of the business should be based on strategies. These strategies include creating opportunities, applying a new attitude in the continuation of business life, changing in business processes, creating organization agility, and re-engineering the structure . Considering the mathematical ability of the dynamic method to analyze the results of the dynamic model as scenarios that are applied to the business in the form of decisions made and by controlling their feedback, its effects on the organization's pillars and resources can be shown as quantities. The measurement of these quantities and the way of changes and their impact enables the quantitative proof of the mentioned theory. By this method the managers will have the ability to evaluate and prospect their decision results in the conditions of the Corona crisis.

In this study, a customer experience management (CEM) model in omnichannel banking is provided. This is an applied study in terms of objectives and mixed exploratory in terms of nature. In the qualitative section, thematic analysis is used, and in the quantitative section, the survey is used through structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population includes senior and expert managers of Bank Day with at least 10 years of banking experience in the qualitative phase and 100 customers of Bank Day in Tehran in the quantitative phase. According to the results, the customer experience in omnichannel banking can be improved through 23 organizing themes of integrity in providing services, continuous allocation and receipt of services in complementary channels, integrated service quality, saving customer resources, customer motivation, developing bank strategy based on customer needs and information, recognizing and meeting customer needs in omnichannels, understanding the principles of customer-oriented marketing, planning and management coordination in omnichannels, planning for the promotion of customer experience culture, management of coding, classifying, documenting, and updating customer data in omnichannels, managing diverse, hybrid, and unique services, comprehensive management of customer data in omnichannels, the correct design of omnichannel implementation processes, integrated service distribution management in the network, using new customer data management methods, upgrading and updating systems, managing the operational and legal risks of systems, providing regular, systematic, and functional reports in channels, improving access indicators, improving productivity indicators of omnichannel services, and improving satisfaction indicators

This paper presents a mathematical model for cell formation, cell layout, and resources assignment problems simultaneously. This model focuses on the influence of the man-machine relationship aspect on the cellular manufacturing system (CMS) design. The main purpose of the model is to demonstrate how to design the CMS with the new aspect such that the costs associated with processing, layout, worker, and machine idle time, machine and tool are minimized. The proposed model is applied to a numerical example using Lingo software. Due to the complexity of the presented model, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to find satisfactory solutions. To verify the solutions, a harmony search (HS) algorithm is used. Additionally, the Taguchi method is utilized to adjust the parameters in two proposed algorithms. Finally, to validate the model, some numerical examples are presented. Results emanating from the research show that the proposed HS algorithm is a favorable method for the presented model.

A critical component of cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) is a Q-matrix that stipulates associations between items of a test and their required attributes. The present study aims to develop and empirically validate a Q-matrix for the listening comprehension section of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To this end, a listening comprehension test of the IELTS was administered to 820 Iranian test takers. According to theories, taxonomies, and models of second/foreign language (L2) listening comprehension, previous studies on the utility of CDMs to L2 listening comprehension, detailed content analysis of the test items, and consultation with several content experts, an initial Q-matrix was first developed. Through the technique suggested by de la Torre and Chiu (2016), along with checking heatmap plots and mesa plots using the GDINA package in R, the Q-matrix was then empirically validated. Generally, six attributes were extracted for the listening section, namely, (1) Linguistic knowledge (LKA), (2) understanding prosodic patterns (UPP), (3) ability to understand and make paraphrases (PAR), (4) ability to understand specific factual information such as names, numbers, and so forth (UFI), (5) ability to understand explicit information (UEI), and (6) ability to make inference (INF). Finally, the results of the fit of the GDINA model to the data, at both item and test levels, indicated the adequate model-data fit and the plausibility of the Q-matrix. The implications of the study were also discussed.

As a dynamic and multifaceted entity, motivation is prone to constant change under the influence of a great many factors including context, task, group dynamics and learner characteristics. Informed by the dearth of research on motivational fluctuations among the teacher community, the researchers in the current study strove to investigate the factors giving rise to Iranian EFL teachers’ motivational oscillations during the practice of online teaching. Thus, opting for a mixed methods research design, the researchers explored the role of emotional intelligence (EI) and seniority (teaching experience) in determining teachers’ motivational status and intensity in the quantitative phase. However, in the qualitative phase the researchers tapped into the teachers’ perceptions concerning the overriding factors bringing about their motivational fluctuations. A total of 55 teachers with varying degrees of teaching experience ranging from one year to 28 years participated in the study. To gather data for the quantitative phase, Bar-On’s (1997) emotional quotient inventory (EQ-i), and Motometer were utilized. However, in the qualitative phase, the data from teacher narratives and interview responses were consulted. The quantitative results via applying Mann Whitney U test revealed that though emotional intelligence and seniority both played a role in teachers’ motivational level, their influences were not statistically significant. Also, as regards the results of data analysis for the qualitative phase, several factors were pinpointed to underlie the teachers’ motivational changes during online teaching experience, including teaching materials, time intervals during the session, instructional topics, learner factors and internet connection problems. The findings are thought to have fruitful implications for EFL teachers, particularly in sensitizing them toward the role of different factors in their motivational changes.

This study investigates EFL teachers’ perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool for English language instruction, focusing on its perceived benefits, challenges, and pedagogical implications. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten EFL teachers currently working in different language-related educational centers in Iran. Participants represented diverse educational contexts, including universities, public schools, and private language centers. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that while teachers generally expressed positive attitudes toward ChatGPT, recognizing its flexibility, time-saving capabilities, and potential to enhance students’ writing skills and learner autonomy, they also voiced concerns regarding overreliance, inaccuracies, ethical challenges related to academic dishonesty, and limitations in supporting listening and speaking skills. The findings suggest that ChatGPT is viewed as a supplementary educational tool rather than a replacement for traditional pedagogy. Teachers emphasized the necessity of critical supervision, ethical guidelines, and professional development to ensure effective and responsible integration of AI technologies in EFL instruction. This study contributes to the growing body of research on AI integration in education, offering practical insights for teachers, policymakers, and researchers seeking to harness the potential of AI in language learning while mitigating its challenges.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate one of Algeria's key strategies for developing an entrepreneurial culture among university students in higher education, which is entrepreneurial education. It analyzes the number of files submitted by university students through the National Agency for the Support and Development of Entrepreneurship from 2013 to 2020, as well as the statistics on students who participated in the Entrepreneurship House from 2013 to 2019. Methods: The study evaluates entrepreneurial education as a strategy for fostering an entrepreneurial culture among university students in Algeria, based on the number of files submitted for establishing micro-enterprises at the National Agency for the Support and Development of Entrepreneurship. It also assesses the outcomes of activities promoting entrepreneurship by entrepreneurship centers in higher education institutions in 2019. Results: The statistics reveal that Algeria’s experience in teaching entrepreneurship in higher education is both recent and weak. This weakness is due to the limited role of educational programs in business plan preparation and their inability to keep up with scientific advancements. These programs also fail to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and capabilities to start their own projects or invest in opportunities for small business creation. Conclusions: Developing an entrepreneurial culture in universities requires collaboration across various efforts. This includes the Entrepreneurship House, which connects students to the economic environment through awareness and training, university business incubators that provide support and funding, and student clubs and research labs that foster an entrepreneurial culture within the academic setting.