Tamgid Ahmed Chowdhury

Poverty Alleviation and Service Delivery: Government and Non-government Organizations in Rural Bangladesh

This paper develops and validates a two-dimensional multi-item scale that captures features related to “credibility” and “focus towards beneficiaries” of government organizations (GO) and non-government organizations (NGO) in the service delivery process of poverty alleviation programmes in rural Bangladesh. The methodology is based on 562 samples collected by the authors from 78 randomly chosen villages in Bangladesh during September–December 2009. Various demographic variables were used to validate the scale by incorporating a new set of data consisting of 368 respondents from an additional 29 randomly selected villages. Significant differences were found to exist between the opinions of beneficiaries of the programmes of both GOs and NGOs after evaluating scale items through discriminant analysis. The study suggests that GO agencies need to concentrate more on items belonging to the “Beneficiary Focus Dimension”, and that NGOs need to devote more attention to the items grouped under the “Credibility Dimension”. Regional analysis suggests that GO agencies are more efficient than NGOs in delivering services to the rural poor.

Multidimensional poverty approach and development of poverty indicators: the case of Bangladesh

The multidimensionality of poverty is often neglected at the policy-formulation stage in developing countries. As need priorities of local poor vary across countries and within regions of the same country, an understanding of finely tuned poverty indicators should be the starting point in formulating country-specific poverty-reduction strategies. By reviewing cross-country studies and existing poverty literature, this paper demonstrates the construction of a multidimensional poverty model to better inform poverty listing in the case of Bangladesh.

Employability skills for entry-level human resources management positions: Perceptions of students and employers:

This paper offers (a) a multidimensional Employability Skill Scale development method, and (b) one 30-item, seven-dimensional, and another 26-item six-dimensional employability skill requirement scale for use with entry-level human resources management positions, as perceived by employers and students, respectively, in Bangladesh. The study is based on samples of 174 and 446 survey responses collected from corporate managers and university students, respectively. There were significant variations in opinions between employers and students on employability skill requirements in entry-level human resources management positions. Employers prioritized skills such as subject knowledge, applying knowledge, listening effectively, breadth of knowledge, working safely, and self-management. On the other hand, students preferred skills such as team leading ability, complex problem-solving ability, judgment ability, proactivity, negotiation ability, strength of reference, type of university, and image of the university.

Understanding Consumer Ethnocentrism in Developing Countries: Case Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This article argues that the traditional belief that “consumer ethnocentrism is a phenomenon of developed countries only” is no longer true. To establish this argument, our study assesses the applicability of the Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale (CETSCALE) to Bangladesh by judging the unidimensionality feature of the same. The methodology is based on a sample of 788 respondents collected from 27 districts in Bangladesh. Statistically significant results show that for three chosen sociodemographic groups, namely, students, job holders, and businesspersons, the original CETSCALE is to a large extent applicable as those groups have shown positive attitudes in retaining 12 to 14 items of the 17 items of the original scale. However, the groups and the respondents as a whole did not agree with the unidimensionality feature of the CETSCALE. Moreover, the results of the study show that Bangladeshi consumers in greater extent prefer to see “Made in Bangladesh” tags when buying consumer products that Bangladeshi businesses can produce locally—a significant potential threat to international business that multinational companies need to address.

Limitations of the Theories of Nonprofits and Benchmarking Services Delivery Dimensions of Poverty-Reduction Programs in Rural Bangladesh

Even though both contract failure and consumer control theories of nonprofits stress the need for monitoring the performance of the firms, these models fail to offer any guidelines on how to do so. In general, the performance of poverty-reduction projects are assessed on amounts of loan disbursement, repayment rates, area of coverage, and financial sustainability. However, performance assessment based on the efficiency of service delivery has in the past been ignored even though the importance of efficient service delivery in poverty-reduction programs is well recognized in the literature and in the theories of nonprofits. Due to this specific lacuna, benchmarking in the aspects of efficient service delivery has never been applied. Based on primary data collected from 78 villages in Bangladesh from September to December 2009, this article develops a two-dimensional multi-item service delivery index to compare the efficiency of participating organizations in the stated programs in order to set industry benchmark values for each item of the index.

Development of a Multidimensional Sustainable Livelihoods Model for Rural Bangladesh

This paper offers a multidimensional livelihoods asset model customized to local priorities in rural Bangladesh, and so advances the DFID’s livelihoods model. The model enables measurement of relative livelihoods asset achievements of poor men and women living in ameliorating poverty. The study is based on primary data collected from 30 villages in Bangladesh. It has been observed that women have better record in achieving social capital (such as vote casting, decision making at jobs, etc.) whereas, men are better off in gaining financial capital (such as higher savings). Significantly less achievement in the indicators of human capital (such as more sick days, and high morbidity) in the rural areas is alarming.

Conceptualizing Consumer Ethnocentrism in a Developing Country: Validity and Applicability of CETSCALE in Bangladesh

This article argues that the traditional belief that “consumer ethnocentrism is a phenomenon of the developed countries only” is no longer true. To establish this argument, this study assesses the applicability of the Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale (CETSCALE) to a developing country Bangladesh. The methodology is based on 788 samples collected from 27 districts of Bangladesh. Results show that for three chosen sociodemographic groups namely, students, job holders, and businessmen, the CETSCALE is to a much extent applicable as the groups have shown positive attitudes in retaining 12 to 14 items out of the 17 items of the original scale.

Media preferences among young consumers in Bangladesh: a multidimensional approach

Abstract Generally, preference toward an advertising media is judged by company-driven effectiveness assessment parameters such as reach, frequency, sales and return on investment. This paper, on the other hand, by using structural equation modeling offers a three-dimensional 20-item ‘media effectiveness assessment model’ based on the quantitative judgment of young consumers. After that the preferences of male and female consumers toward seven different media with respect to the assessment criteria of the model have been captured and compared. Item-wise results of the study show that radio received highest priority by male consumers, whereas, TV and newspaper are the second priority. Female respondents on the other hand put highest preference toward magazine followed by radio. Popularity of radio among young consumers is noticeable. Dimension-wise comparisons revealed that men and women consumers preferred radio and billboard, respectively as the best media for ‘customization’ ability. However, for advertisement ‘positioning’ men and women prioritized TV and magazine, respectively. Finally, billboard and radio were found to be most ‘interactive’ as opined by male and female, respectively. The methodology of this study is based on 783 samples collected from the young executives (both male and female) of Bangladesh during September–November, 2014.

How signaling mechanisms reduce “lemons” from online group buying (OGB) markets? A study of China

A major transformation in retail logistics over the few years is backed by enormous improvements in internet technologies. It is now easy for e-retailers to entertain delivery progression, or consumers can share use-experience with future customers and thereby reducing information asymmetry. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of different signals on consumer behavior in the presence of information asymmetry, in the context of online group buying (OGB) markets in China.,Based on the lemon market theory (LMT) and signaling theory, the study develops a research model of the OGB consumers’ context in China, which is validated using data from an online survey. A total of 528 responses are used for data analysis applying structural equation modeling technique.,The findings of the study show that perceived vendor quality (PVQ) and perceived product quality (PPQ) have significantly positive effects on intention to purchase from OGB websites. PVQ is associated with perceived reputation and perceived trustworthiness (PT) of vendor, and the determinants of PPQ are quality assurance information of products, and information about mer-chants. Further, PT has a mediating effect, while asymmetry of information has a moderating effect.,The research model is valid as a generic OGB model that can be investigated in other contexts to understand the generalizability of the findings. Future research is needed to incorporate additional relevant factors (e.g. price, advertising activity/investments) that may help increase the acceptability of the model to a wide range of e-commerce contexts. Two of the control variables (gender and prior internet experience) were found to be significant; this could be further examined in future studies to determine the relative impact on each causal relationship.,Whereas prior studies in the domain of consumer service proposed different signaling mechanisms that were believed to eliminate information asymmetry from a market, the study sheds light on the effectiveness of the signals in the OGB context. This is a unique effort that applies and extends LMT and signaling theory in OGB context by theorizing the associated dimensions and their causal effects.

Functioning Achievements in Urban Bangladesh: A Comparison with Rural Areas

Abstract In view of the differences in the nature and concept of poverty across rural and urban regions, this article argues that a nationwide standardised poverty reduction strategy package may not be equally effective in these two regions. This article examines the limitations of existing poverty assessment approaches used in Bangladesh and identifies various indicators that are responsible for the achievement of higher level functioning in urban regions in contrast to rural areas. The methodology of the study is based on 917 samples of poor persons with microcredit collected from nine districts of Bangladesh. Significant differences have been observed in the indicators of poverty for rural and urban areas. The results from our participatory study reveal that the urban poor are more inclined towards social functioning achievements such as voting, decision-making at both household and work levels, having a voice at local meetings and co-operatives, whereas the rural poor are still demanding the most basic requirements.