The present issue of Skyline Business Journal (SBJ) includes six research papers that were selected through a rigorous process of peer review, which is an established practice with the journal now. The new-look journal packs quite an academic punch, in its small package, and adds significant value to the body of business management knowledge. There has been lately, a debate going on about the usefulness of academic research in management studies especially from the leaners point of view. Is it necessary that all research is applicable to academic programs or it should be practical enough for business and industry? In both these cases the relevance and applicability of research becomes paramount consideration instead of methodology and or theoretical back ground of the topics chosen. Scholars, now more than ever before, have the added responsibility to produce distinguishable research that does not just adds to the volumes of already overloaded net-space that is overwhelming and may not always be of any practical usage. The compulsion imposed by academic institutions world over, especially in social sciences, to produce specific number of papers, per academic calendar and linking scholarly work with career progression, has put academics into a mechanical mode that ‘fixes a research paper’ in a predefined structure, irrespective of its academic or industry value. This needs a serious rethink!
The current issue includes four papers on finance and two on human resource practices. One of the papers analyses if FDI has any significant relationship with a country’s real GDP, nominal exchange rate, current account balance and industrial production index. The paper concludes, taking example of Malaysia, that FDI is a dominant factor in development and economic diversification. Another paper in the finance category, discusses the relationship between profitability and liquidity in Islamic banking industry of Bangladesh. Interestingly, a paper in the domain of human resource management discusses, through statistical and comparative analysis the effect on the behavioral aspects of employees, brought about by Vipasana Meditation.

With the increasing prestige and popularity of the journal the editorial board has started thinking of more than one issue annually and I would like to seek opinion of all readers, authors, and associates in this regard to help us finalize our decision. I take this opportunity to thank all the editors, reviewers and technical staff working all round the year to produce this academic work, which is now in its thirteenth year of publication. Wishing you all happy reading and looking forward to your valuable feedback.

 

Editor-in-Chief