University of Piraeus

About: University of Piraeus is a education organization based out in Piraeus, Attiki, Greece. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Computer science. The organization has 1731 authors who have published 6209 publications receiving 106699 citations.

Trends and Developments in the European Financial Sector

Abstract: The international tendency towards the deregulation of restrictions and administrative settlements has suppressed the barriers between national financial markets. The adoption of a common currency and the rapid spread of new technologies lead to intense competition, imposing the acceleration of reformations in the European financial sector. Financial institutions have consequently adjusted their strategies, in order to confront the challenges and exploit the opportunities of new developments. In this work, a review of strategies that have been applied by financial institutions in the most important European markets is presented, as well as the repercussions of those strategies on the structure of the European financial sector. The controversial question is which form of affiliation will allow them to encounter successfully the expected intensity of international financial competition.

Competition and efficiency in the MENA banking region: a non-structural DEA approach

Abstract: The goal of this article is to empirically assess the relationship between competition and efficiency in the banking sector of Middle East and North African (MENA) countries spanning the period 1997–2011. To measure the level of competition, the article estimates the non-structural indicator known as the H-statistic, while the level of bank efficiency is estimated through the nonparametric methodology of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Bootstrap Data Envelopment Analysis (BDEA), respectively. The empirical results are robust under six econometric methodologies, providing sufficient evidence for the presence of a one-way (negative) Granger causality, running from efficiency to competition. The empirical findings lead to the rejection of the ‘Efficient Structure Hypothesis’, implying that increases in competition do not precede increases in cost efficiency.

The interrelationship between service features, job satisfaction and customer satisfaction

Abstract: Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework which explores the links between the two service features (physical and interactive), job satisfaction and their impact on customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 168 first line employees of a major European port. Structural equation modelling and regression analysis were used to examine and test the relationships.Findings – The empirical data verifies structural relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and job satisfaction, treating job satisfaction as a consequence of physical features and as an antecedent of interactive features. The direct impact of employee job satisfaction on customer satisfaction, together with its indirect influence via service features, were tested and supported by the empirical data.Originality/value – This study extends the literature by examining the distinct role that the interactive and physical features of ...

Moving Bodies to Moving Minds: A Study of the Use of Motion-Based Games in Special Education

Abstract: From an embodied learning perspective, the active human body can alter the function of the brain and therefore, the cognitive process. In this work, children’s activity using motion-based technology is framed as an example of embodied learning. The present investigation focuses on the use of a series of Kinect-based educational games by 31 elementary students with special educational needs in mainstream schools, during a five-month intervention study. Results based on psychometric pre-post testing in conjunction with games-usage analytics, a student attitudinal scale, teachers’ reflection notes and teacher interviews, demonstrated the positive impact of the games on children’s short-term memory skills and emotional stage. Overall, the study improves our understanding of embodied learning via motion-based technology in teaching and learning with children with special educational needs.