Performance

This study investigated learning style preferences among professional translators. The purposes of the study were to (a) find the prevailing learning style among the Iranian professional translators; (b) reveal any significant difference in the translators’ learning style preferences in terms of gender; and (c) find any significant difference between individual learning style and translation competence of the male and female translators. To this end, 110 professional translators from 35 translation centers in three Southern Provinces of Iran (Fars, Hormozgan, and Bushehr) were selected through non-probability sampling. The data pertaining to learning style were collected through an adaptation of Honey and Mumford’s learning style questionnaire, and translation competence was examined through a text that the participants translated. Findings revealed that the translators’ predominant learning style was Reflector, followed by Pragmatist, Activist, and Theorist, although those preferring the Theorist style showed better performance. Furthermore, the findings did not show any significant difference between translators’ gender and learning style preferences. Finally, results of one-way ANOVA revealed that there was a statistically significant difference across the groups in terms of learning style preferences and translators’ translation competence. Some pedagogical implications were also discussed.

Due to the sublimation and perfection of human knowledge in economics, the concept of efficiency developed in the past two decades and the measurement of it, based on different theories and practice. In economics, efficiency means the maximum of possible output from a certain amount of input. The efficiency is very important for developing countries Because these countries face to a shortage of inputs, production factors and technologies. So the usage of existing resources is critical for these countries. This paper aims to evaluate and rank the financial performance of the chemical firms listed in Tehran stock exchange. We Use the data environment analysis and TOPSIS methods. This research includes one major question that which company performs better due to the financial ratios. The sample includes the firms in Tehran Stock Exchange within a 3-year period (2013-2015). The Results show that Ahvas Petrochemical company, Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry company and Iran Chemical Industries company are more efficient than others.

Banks are the financial institutions that collect assets from various sources and allocate them to the sectors that require liquidity. Therefore, banks are an inherent element in the system of every country. As private banks enter financial markets, the demand for diverse banking services increases dramatically. Banks seek to use various techniques to improve their performance in attracting customers to increase their market share and profitability. In this regard, assessing the performance of banks is of utmost importance and has become a major activity of bank managers. With the constant changes in the modern world and incessant attempts of competitors to increase their market share by gaining competitive advantage, special attention should be paid to ambidexterity as a key strategy to increase competitive advantage and achieve high performance in dynamic business environments. The present study aimed to identify the ambidextrous factors affecting the performance of banks and present a model to assess the performance of an ambidextrous bank using an agent-based modeling approach. The main objective of the research is to achieve an applied model for managing the performance of the banking industry. The simulation model is processed using the agent-based modeling approach in AnyLogic software environment.

One of the most challenging approaches toward literary works is the feminist approach. After three waves of feminism through the history of literary criticism, Judith Butler has introduced a new vision that is gender-based rather than sex-based. She has strongly influenced the domain of feminism and queer theories. In her preeminent book Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990), Butler sharply criticizes the former feminists for their division of men and women into two distinct groups, the latter being the underdog and the former being the superior. Butler argues that gender is a cultural and social construct. One’s gender is performative for one’s actions, which determine and construct his/her gender identity. The present paper aims at investigating Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012) in terms of Butlerian concepts of gender and performativity. The novel takes advantage of certain characters to depict the idea of gender, as performative. The current study explores the concept of gendered identity focusing on the characters of Amy Elliott Dunne, Margo Dunne, and Maureen Dunne. Further investigations of the characters, particularly Detective Rhonda Boney and Amy Elliott Dunne, illustrate the link between the concept of performativity and the novel.

Banking and insurance industries are the strategic pillars of every country's economy and play a key role in the economy of countries. Without financial and insurance institutions, the financial sector of the country will be no longer effective. Therefore, determining the factors affecting the returns and performance of these institutions seems necessary.  So, in this research, the efficiency and effectiveness of financial and insurance institutions and their influential factors in 18 banks and listed insurance companies in Tehran Stock Exchange were studied. To do this, the data of selected financial and insurance institutions during the period of 2009-2016 were extracted using Rahavard Novin softwareand the model was estimated using the data panel method and Eviews9.0. Before estimating the model, using the unitroot test of the Dickey Fuller, the variables stationary property were checked and confirmed,and the Jarque-Bera testwas approved for the normal distribution of variables. The results of the model estimation showed that at a significant level of 5%, the size of financial and insurance institutions, financial leverage, and the concentration ratio on their performance and returns had a positive effect, and this effect was statistically significant at 5% significancy. Also, credit risk has a negative effect on the performance and returns of these institutions and this effect is statistically significant at 5% significancy. The effect of the volume of state ownership on the performance and returns of financial and insurance institutions is negative, but this effect is not statistically significant for the returns of these institutions.

This research develops a two-level model based on hypotheses, which concern relationships among role ambiguity, role conflict, job involvement and salesperson performance at individual level and collective sale self efficacy, customer orientation and competitive climate at sale unit level in Iranian food industry. Data was drawn from 482 sales people in 30 companies , using a 51-item self-reported questionnaire. Research model was tested in disaggregation, aggregation and multilevel approaches. The results from three approaches were different. Multilevel modeling analysis revealed that role ambiguity and role conflict have negative effects, but collective sale self efficacy and job involvement have positive effects on sales person performance. Results also showed that collective sale self efficacy has positive moderation effect on the relationship between job involvement and sales person performance. Collective sale self efficacy indicated positive moderation effect on the relationship between job involvement and sales person performance and negative moderation effect on the relationship between role conflict and sales person performance.

Autonomy plays a crucial role in the enhancement of important learning qualities in the learners. In that line of thinking, this study was launched to discover how English language learners exposed to an autonomously managed versus teacher controlled conditions would respond to the learning determinants. Two classes of English language learners at Isfahan University of Technology, Iran were thus treated under the two learning conditions. On the closing days of the semester, they were administered a questionnaire constructed based on three action phases of learning, namely, forethought, performance/volitional control, and self reflection. The questionnaire statements were rated on the Likert scale. The data analysis revealed that autonomy to a large extent determines the learners' views of learning. The class where autonomy was practiced showed a great deal of motivational boost or what is reinterpreted as forethought. The other two categories of learning, namely, their performance and self reflection, were also distinctly better perceived by the autonomous learners. The results point out the significance of preparing learners through autonomy for the prospective independent and critical learning.

Translation is a process which needs concentration and a relaxed mind. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder which causes the patients to repeat something continuously so that it is done in the best way. As both translation and OCD are mental processes, this study has investigated the relation between these two mental processes. For this purpose, at first Oxford Placement Test was given to 100 advanced university translation students. Then, 40 participants who were at the same level of language proficiency were given Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCD) test to check the degree of their disorder. They were then asked to translate a chosen text. The rater suggested 40 minutes for the translation of this text and asked the participants to estimate the duration of their translation. The data were then studied based on Holmes’s map of translation studies (Holmes 1988). The results showed that OCD affects both translation accuracy and translation time. The findings of this research makes translators informed that mental processes can affect translation processes. In fact, translators with OCD need more time for translation, which causes some problems in cases when urgent translation is needed. Based on the results of this study, it is clear that translators with OCD problems are not reliable for translation tasks.

This study explored the relationship between organizational culture, total quality management (TQM), and performance in auto parts manufacturing companies in Isfahan, Iran. The study was a correlational survey following applied purposes. The statistical population included all members in such sections as management, quality control, sales, research and development, and human resources of 21 auto parts manufacturers found in Isfahan, Iran. A total number of 95 questionnaires were distributed, and based on the Morgan table, 76 individuals were selected as the participants in this research. The questionnaire consisted of 66 questions measuring the research variables although it did not record demographic information. To investigate the hypotheses of the research, inferential statistics procedures were processed in Smart-PLS software. The results of data analysis revealed that the culture dominating these industrial units was characterized by “adhocracy culture” and “clan culture”, as a result of which the companies prioritized flexibility over control. Among the TQM dimensions, “activity focus” showed the highest degree of development, whereas “customer focus” was the least developed factor. Furthermore, the results obtained from the structural equation model demonstrated that TQM mediated the relationship between organizational culture and performance, while TQM had a significant relationship with performance, and the overall power of organizational culture left a positive effect on performance.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of supply chain innovation on performance through the mediating role of strategic agility. The statistical population of this research consists of all employees and managers of the food industry in Tehran. Necessary data were collected with a standard questionnaire from 70 food industry managers who were selected by simple and easy non-probability sampling. The least squares method and SMART PLS software were used to analyze the model. The results of testing the hypotheses indicate the positive effect of supply chain innovation on firm performance and the positive effect of supply chain innovation on strategic agility was also confirmed. Strategic agility also had a positive effect on firm performance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of creativity on performance with the mediating role of knowledge sharing in sports federations. Method: This field study was a descriptive-correlative research and a practical one. The research population consisted of all presidents, vice presidents, general secretaries, committee managers and experts in 51 sport federations (N=780), and 267 subjects were studied through stratified random sampling approach that was consistent to recommended sample by Krejcie & Morgan table. The research tools were adopted from the existing literature to collect the data. The reliability of the research tools were confirmed according to Cronbach’s alpha. Face, content, and construct validity were used to evaluate the validity of the research tools. To test the research hypotheses, structural equation modeling was conducted by applying Smart PLS. Results: The findings demonstrated that "Creativity" had a positive and significant effect on "Performance", as well as "Knowledge sharing". Moreover, "Knowledge sharing "had a positive and significant effect on "Performance". The results also showed that "Knowledge sharing" mediate the relationship between "Creativity", and "Performance "in sport federations. Conclusions: The findings of this study, with emphasis on the role of creativity and knowledge sharing in improving the performance, can be regarded as a platform for enhancing the performance of sports federations. Creativity and knowledge sharing can play a significant role in empowering the human capital that ultimately result in performance development.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the main components of school performance evaluation in desirable condition. Methodology: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The statistical population of the study consisted of 1980 high school principals who were selected based on Cochran's formula of 322 students using cluster-cluster sampling method. Educational management (including 15 university professors, 20 administrators and 15 school administrators) selected through purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted, primary components identified and then identified by the researcher to determine the final components. It had 172 items and its face validity and content validation by Tidopa experts for it was 75/0 using Cronbach's alpha, was used. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equations. Findings: The findings indicated that the following components could be considered for evaluating the performance of 12 components and 172 sub-components: 1- Management and leadership 2- Administrative and financial affairs 3- Teaching processes- Learning and planning 4-Axis programs 5-Information technology and intelligence 6-Physical space and equipment 7-Empower teachers and staff 8-Supplemental, extracurricular activities 9-Organizational climate and organizational culture10-Interaction with school environment and Gaining Experiences11- Physical Education, Health and Well-being 12- Staff Involvement, Parents and Students in School Affairs Conclusion: School management has a very important role in school performance. Therefore, school management and leadership as the main pillar of schools should play a scientific role and with respect to good human relations which will play an important role in enhancing school performance. Keywords: Evaluation, Performance, Schools, Desire.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between the structure and performance in the banking industry of Iran. In doing so, the data and information of public and private banks from 1996 to 2015 is examined using Toda-Yamamoto causality test (TY) and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach. Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) (the degree of market concentration) trend shows that over the last two decades, the degree of concentration has reduced. In other words, the structure of banking industry has moved away from monopoly conditions towards competitive markets. The degree of profitability and the ratio of net return on assets (ROA) are used for the performance of banking industry. According to the results, the banks' profitability rate has been increasing over the years under study. The results of Toda-Yamamoto causality test (TY) and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach also show that in the banking industry of Iran, both in the short term and long term, there is a one-way causal relationship from performance to structure. In other words, the structuralist theory of the banking industry of Iran is not approved and the Chicago School theory of the causal relationship between performance and structure cannot be rejected.

This study aims to explore the relationship between Iranian undergraduate translation students’ level of anxiety and emotional intelligence (EI) when performing consecutive interpreting, and the quality of their interpreting performance. To this end, thirty Iranian undergraduate English translation students were invited based on convenience sampling to participate in this study. A researcher-made questionnaire was designed to measure students’ interpreting anxiety. Participants completed Schering's emotional intelligence and interpreting classroom anxiety scale (ICAS) to measure their level of EI and anxiety. The participants were then asked to consecutively interpret a three-minute video clip from English into Persian about anxiety disorder. Students’ interpreting performance was assessed by three experienced raters based on Carroll’s model of translation quality assessment for consecutive interpreting. The results showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between the students’ total score of EI and the quality of their consecutive interpreting performance. However, there was a negative correlation between students’ interpreting anxiety and the quality of their interpreting performance. Additionally, a negative association was found between students interpreting classroom anxiety and emotional intelligence. Consequently, the findings demonstrated that negative emotions and thoughts such as anxiety and stress reduce translation students interpreting ability. Moreover, based on the results, the interpreting theoretical instructions, as well as teaching psychological factors should be included in the translation teaching syllabus to train proficient and skillful interpreters in Iranian universities.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing the incidence of natural disasters around the world has led to increased concerns about the social and economic development of developed countries. Natural disasters are inevitable, but they can be taken to reduce their negative impacts on countries. Organizations involved in managing these crises must regulate their supply chain and make the necessary changes to improve the performance of the humanitarian supply chain. METHODS: Data analysis by partial least squares method (PLS) was performed using smart-pls2 software and a researcher-made questionnaire with 25 questions that examined six structures. In this research, 320 questionnaires have been distributed. In the statistical population of the survey, there are military centers, fire brigades, Omer Crescent population, emergency 115, crisis management and renovation committee in the parliament, governorate, municipalities, supply chain managers, Active practitioners in this field, subject specialists (reference persons and perpetrators in this field), and other members of the organizations involved in rescue and rescue operations in Tehran (randomly selected from the 22 areas). Eventually, 193 people were involved in relief and rescue operations. The reliability of the model has been investigated and verified through three ways of evaluating factor load coefficients, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, composite reliability (CR). The average variance extracted (AVE) values are greater than 0.5, and CR values are larger than AVEs. That means convergent validity. Also, the mean of the AVE for each structure is greater than 0.50 and this is a sign of convergent validity. FINDINGS: For the model, GOF is 0.56; that means the model has a great fit. The statistics above show that the proposed model is suitable for data collection. In general, the proposed model confirms the relationship between the use of information technology, mutual trust, flexibility, agility, adaptability and performance of the humanitarian supply chain. Fit statistics have four indicators: Goodness of Fitness (GFI) of 0.92, Fitted Goodness Index (AGFI) of 0.9, Root RMSEA error of 0.04, and 360.88 x 360 times. Finally, the ratio of k2 to the degree of freedom for 1.38 is obtained, indicating the good of fitness of the model fit with the data. With the aid of p-values and T-Values 8 hypotheses were confirmed in this modeling. CONCLUSION: The results show that the agility and flexibility of organizations in the humanitarian supply chain are related to the use of information technology and organizational trust, which in turn affects performance.

The main purpose of this study is to identify and rank the criteria for evaluating the performance of Azad University faculty members using the Analysis Network Process method. The research method is mixed. The sample size of the qualitative section was 15 managers of departments who were purposefully selected by theoretical sampling strategy. Data collection was a semi-structured interview. The data obtained from the analyzed interviews were coded using the Grounded theory. Its validity and reliability were checked and confirmed using the results of three-way consensus. Data analysis was performed in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. In open coding, concepts and cues were extracted from the interviews. In the selective coding stage, three categories (training, research, consulting services) were compressed and considered as the main dimensions of performance evaluation, and then four sub-components were conceptualized for each dimension. A total of twelve categories were conceptualized and then the dimensions and components were ranked using super design software. The sample size was a quantitative section of 30 faculty members who were randomly selected and the tool for collecting quantitative findings was a researcher-made questionnaire. It was an Analysis Network Process. Findings showed: The factors of consulting services, research and education are in order of priority. In education, respectively, components of teaching quality, spiritual competence, psychological competence and managerial competence, in research, respectively, components of communication competence, competence of new technologies, competence of innovation and creativity, entrepreneurship and cognitive competence. Intercultural competence, foreign relations competence, and the most and least important in the group that experts can use the above dimensions and components in evaluating the performance of faculty members.

This study examines trading strategies based on trading systems by analyzing the performance of 11 technical indicators. The data used for analysis were financial data of all firms listed on the Teh-ran Stock Exchange in the period from 2010 to 2020. Excluding the firms whose data were not available for the period under study, 135 firms were selected as the research sample. The results showed that the signals containing three indicators of moving average, exponential moving average, and relative strength over a weekly up to six-month period to buy or sell stocks (as a strategy) could be used more confidently compared to other indicators to achieve higher returns and profitability. As a result, investors can use the signals that these three indicators in weekly (EMA) and monthly (MA, RSI) periods and the quarterly (MA) and six-month (RSI, EMA) periods to determine buying and selling strategies with the lowest investment risks. It is also recommended that investors use a combination of these three indicators to invest, and extend their investment period over a longer period of time to bear less risk, and more returns.