Abstract: A B S T R A C T The current research aims to explore the influence of in store characteristics on consumer impulse buying behaviour. Precisely, this paper investigated the impact of window display, promotional signage, store layout, music and store smell on consumer impulse buying behaviour. The research was conducted among 117 customers of korzinka.uz supermarket using questionnaire which was formulated based on the previous literature. The collected data was analyzed using factor analysis and linear regression tests. The research findings suggested that store characteristics including window display, promotional signage and scent play crucial role in stimulating the impulse buying behaviour of customers. Final chapter of the current research provides some recommendations for store managers on further improvement of store atmosphere to encourage impulse buying among customers. This is the first study conducted in Uzbekistan to understand the importance of factors influencing consumer impulsive buying behaviour using the case of local supermarket Korzinka.uz.

Abstract: The antecedents of the ‘weights of nations’ have been in the center of theoretical and empirical discussion over the past decades. In this research, we contribute to extant studies by investigating the effect of general intelligence, measured by nation IQ, on the Body Mass Indices (BMI) of male and female populations for 187 countries of the world. Our results suggest an inverted U-shaped link between intelligence and BMI. Even after controlling for an alternative set of control variables such as trade openness, urbanization and others, our results remain intact. This paper documents a turning point of 80.8 for female and 83.7 IQ score for male BMI. The results remain robust to a number of robustness checks.

Abstract: The paper investigates the relationship between companies’ innovation strategies and their financing strategies. Innovation strategies are distinguished as in-house and outsourcing. A bivariate probit model is implemented using cross-section data on 1,393 agri-food firms in seven EU countries. Results show that: (1) agri-food firms with a higher proportion of fixed assets are more likely to innovate, both in-house and through outsourcing. Fixed assets can be used by the firm as collateral and hence facilitate long-term loans; (2) agri-food firms that have larger sales volumes are more likely to organise their innovation processes in-house; (3) profitability and working capital increase the likelihood to observe outsourcing of innovation activities; (4) long-term leverage is negatively related to R&D outsourcing. R&D activities increase a firm’s risk level.

Abstract: We review Uzbekistan’s banking sector and its reforms. We do so because the country’s precautions approach to banking sector restructuring stands in a marked contrast to other transition economies. The country was precautions towards licencing new private banks’ entry and foreign banks. Direct state ownership of banks was significant. Starting from 2003, foreign currency denominated loans started to decrease and non-cash card based payment system started to develop. In 2004-2005 the country has made a progress in banking reforms by introducing credit bureau and laws on electronic banking and card based payments. In the post crisis period, Uzbekistan’s financial deepening indicators are very close to fast reformers.

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present the ongoing research on the use of social media in higher education The paper introduces a method of evaluating and predicting potential number of applicants by means of social media in order to optimize related costs We propose to assess university attractiveness for applicants by analyzing data collected through social networks (eg Twitter) to allow a timely adjustment of marketing efforts Such analysis will allow early prediction of the number of potential applicants as a result will accommodate timely adjustment of the marketing and administrative efforts for potential student intake Moreover, we analyze "positive", "negative" and "neutral" tweets in Twitter and their effect on the prediction Our results suggest that the number of tweets is positively correlated with the number of applications However, the strength of correlation is not stable across the sampled months, depicting the strongest degree to be in August Interestingly, greater number of positive tweets appears to be associated with lower students' application figures and vice versa Additionally the paper outlines major limitations associated with data collection and analysis

Abstract: This paper explore the effect of intelligence on financial development using data from 180 nations, over the period 2000–2012. The results provide strong support for the claim that intelligence is positively associated with the supply offinance to economy. This paper establishes that, moving from country with the mean IQ score (84.1) to the highest national IQ score (107.1) is associated with 3.6 fold increase in the size of banking sector. The positive effect of intelligence remains intact when we control for other antecedents offinancial development.