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Article
Publication date: 7 June 2022

Daniel Marcel, Haruna Isa Mohammad and Aminu Ahmad

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of measures to combat Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on competitiveness in tourism in Nigeria taking strategic…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of measures to combat Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on competitiveness in tourism in Nigeria taking strategic dexterity as the moderating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey research design approach was used for the study. A total of 235 valid questionnaires gathered from the personnel of ten urban tourist centres in Nigeria were used to examine the goodness of model fit, measurement model and structural correlations between constructs. Partial least squares structural equation modelling approach (PLS-SEM) using Advanced Analysis for Composite (ADANCO 2.2.1) was used to evaluate the hypotheses.

Findings

This study finds that travel restriction, boarder closure and strategic dexterity were significant to competitiveness, among which border closures has generated the highest path coefficient. Moreover, the study finds a significant moderating role of strategic dexterity between travel restrictions, border closure and competitiveness. Future studies can reproduce the study by incorporating mediating variables covering the all-tourist centers in Nigeria.

Research limitations/implications

This study might be valuable for tourism-related stakeholders, researchers and policy makers as the result finds indicate strong effect of travel restrictions, border closure on competitiveness of urban tourism. Equally, the study provides new insight as the findings shows a significant moderating role of strategic dexterity between travel restrictions, border closure and competitiveness.

Practical implications

This study might be valuable for tourism-related stakeholders, researchers and policy makers as the result finds indicate strong effect of travel restrictions, border closure on competitiveness of urban tourism. The study provides new insight as the findings shows a significant moderating role of strategic dexterity between travel restrictions, border closure and competitiveness.

Originality/value

This study is among the few that analyses the effect of measures to combat COVID-19 pandemic on competitiveness in the urban tourism: strategic dexterity as the moderating variables. This study also contributes methodologically through the introduction of PLS-SEM approach.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 September 2022

Catherine Mawia Mwema, Netsayi Noris Mudege and Keagan Kakwasha

While the literature has highlighted the impacts of COVID-19, there is limited evidence on the gendered determinants of the impact of COVID-19 among small-scale rural traders in…

Abstract

Purpose

While the literature has highlighted the impacts of COVID-19, there is limited evidence on the gendered determinants of the impact of COVID-19 among small-scale rural traders in developing and emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-border fish traders who had operated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were interviewed in a survey conducted in Zambia and Malawi. Logistic regressions among male and female traders were employed to assess the gendered predictors.

Findings

Heterogeneous effects in geographical location, skills, and knowledge were reported among male cross-border traders. Effects of household structure and composition significantly influenced the impact of COVID-19 among female traders. Surprisingly, membership in trade associations was associated with the high impact of COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the migratory nature of cross-border fish traders, the population of cross-border fish traders at the time of the study was unknown and difficult to establish, cross-border fish traders (CBFT) at the landing sites and market areas were targeted for the survey without bias.

Originality/value

This paper addresses a gap in the literature on understanding gendered predictors of the impacts of COVID-19 among small-scale cross-border traders.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2009

Adnan Enshassi, Jomah Al‐Najjar and Mohan Kumaraswamy

Delays and cost overruns are evidently frequent problems in the construction industries of many developed and developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess factors…

5812

Abstract

Purpose

Delays and cost overruns are evidently frequent problems in the construction industries of many developed and developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess factors leading to time overruns (delays) and cost overruns in construction projects in the Gaza Strip. Since there appear to be additional special contributors to delays here, the relative perceptions of contractors, consultants and owners are compared, based on a listing of causal factors derived from previous studies elsewhere, together with other factors arising from special conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of a randomly selected samples yielded responses from 66 contractors, 27 consultants, and 31 owners. The survey included 110 delay factors/causes which were grouped into 12 major groups. The same survey also included 42 cost overrun factors. The level of importance of the delays and cost overrun factors were measured and ranked by their importance indexes, according to the perspectives of contractors, consultants, and owners.

Findings

There seems to be a general agreement between contractors, consultants and owners regarding causes of delays and cost overruns. The main four causes of time delays included strikes and border closures, material‐related factors, lack of materials in markets, and delays in materials delivery to the site. Additionally, the main three causes for cost overruns included price fluctuations of construction materials, contractor delays in material and equipment delivery, and inflation.

Originality/value

The outcome of this paper will assist owners, contractors, and consultants in understanding the reasons for delays and cost overruns, thus eliminating or minimizing these causes. This could be achieved by better management of the projects and by finding new methods for storing the critical materials from the beginning of the project. Furthermore, the local government is advised to initiate legislation to overcome problems arising from monopolies in the supply of construction materials.

Details

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-4387

Keywords

Executive summary
Publication date: 15 September 2023
Expert Briefings Powered by Oxford Analytica

Dominican border closure will worsen Haiti crisis

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/HAITI: Border move to worsen crisis

Article
Publication date: 21 December 2020

Abiodun Elijah Obayelu, Sarah Edore Edewor and Agatha Osivweneta Ogbe

The paper is a preliminary assessment of coronavirus disease’s (COVID-19) effects on African trade, policy responses and opportunities within the limitations imposed by data and…

3870

Abstract

Purpose

The paper is a preliminary assessment of coronavirus disease’s (COVID-19) effects on African trade, policy responses and opportunities within the limitations imposed by data and the information currently available and in the lights of other international organizations’ growth forecasts. The study was undertaken to get deeper understanding of the threats and opportunities of COVID-19 on African trade because of the existing interconnected trade networks making African countries to be more vulnerable and increasing number of restrictions and distortions among major traders. This study aims to present strong information required in underpinning sound national, regional and inter-regional policy responses to keep trade flowing.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess COVID-19’s effects on African trade, policy responses and opportunities, this study relied on data and information currently available from organizations such as World Trade Organization (WTO), World Bank (WB), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Monetary Fund, European Union, International Trade Statistics and various African countries’ trade and national statistics publications. The analysis contains two main scenarios. The first, an observed effects scenario (first quarter of year 2020), looks at the observed effect of COVID-19 outbreak on trade in Africa. The second, a potential effects scenario, analyses the potential trade effects if the COVID-19 outbreak lingers and spreads more intensively than is assumed in the baseline scenario.

Findings

The COVID-19 outbreak affects several aspects of international trade even though the full effects of the outbreak are not yet visible in most trade data. Some leading indicators had shown that keeping trade flow can support the fight against COVID-19 as well as having damaging effect on Africa’s trade. COVID-19 had led to a deep fall in transaction, both at the international level and within-regions. Tariffs and other restrictions to imports harm the flow of critical products to African countries. Uncooperative trade policies lead to higher prices of goods in fragile and vulnerable African countries.

Research limitations/implications

Long term in-depth analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on trade using quantitative data is still very difficult because of paucity of data and the great level of the improbability of the trajectory of the spread of the virus. Informed assessment of the full trade impact of the pandemic on African countries is therefore still difficult. Notwithstanding, this study assesses the immediate effects and conveys the likely extent of impending African trade pains and the potential needs for assistance.

Practical implications

Trade in both goods and services plays a key role in overcoming the pandemic and limit its effects by providing access to essential medical goods to treat those affected, ensuring access to food, providing farmers with needed inputs, support jobs and sustain economic activity during global recession. However, temporary COVID-19 trade measures such as borders closure, export prohibition and import ban are a threat to globalization and free trade agreements engaged by some African countries.

Social implications

The continuous rise in COVID-19 cases is expected to trigger economic recession in Africa despite a rapid expansion and creation of new social protection programmes. The unavoidable decline in trade caused by COVID-19 is already having painful consequences on the economy, social anxiety among families, households, businesses and trade across countries in the continent. COVID-19 trade restrictions aimed at reducing the transmission of the virus have led to loss of income and jobs as well as closure of small and vulnerable businesses. Policymakers should enforce social policies that unite countries within the continents in bad times to reduce social anxiety and hardship.

Originality/value

Although the effects of COVID-19 outbreak on global and regional trade have received enormous attention recently, facts in the form of data have been thin particularly on African trade. This paper, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is one of the first set of studies that provides preliminary assessment of COVID-19’s effects on trade in Africa using scenarios-building approach based on the available data and information on regional trade, complemented by those from the WTO, WB and departments of trade and statistics from various African countries such as the Nigeria Nation Bureau of Statistic and Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics.

Details

Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-4408

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 20 September 2019

In late August, Nigeria’s federal government effectively shut the country’s border with Benin and parts of the western border with Niger for 28 days to stop what the federal…

Expert briefing
Publication date: 12 April 2021

The closure of border crossings since March 2020 has fuelled violent competition for control of lucrative informal crossings (trochas) and frontier towns. However, the Venezuelan…

Article
Publication date: 5 January 2021

Emmanuel Kosack, Merlin Stone, Karen Sanders, Eleni Aravopoulou, Davide Biron, Sergio Brodsky, Esra Saleh Al Dhaen, Mohammed Mahmoud and Anastasia Usacheva

This paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It shows that the transition from epidemic to the pandemic was caused partly by poor management of information that was publicly available in January 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach combines public domain epidemic data with economic, demographic, health, social and political data and investigates how information was managed by governments. It includes case studies of early-stage information management, from countries with high and low coronavirus disease 2019 impacts (as measured by deaths per million).

Findings

The reasons why the information was not acted upon appropriately include “dark side” information behaviours (Stone et al., 2019). Many errors and misjudgements could have been avoided by using learnings from previous epidemics, particularly the 1918-1919 flu epidemic when international travel (mainly of troops in First World War) was a prime mode of spreading. It concludes that if similar outbreaks are not to turn into pandemics, much earlier action is needed, mainly closing borders and locking-down.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on what was known at the time of writing, when the pandemic’s exact origin was uncertain, when some statistics about actions and results were unavailable and when final results were unknown.

Practical implications

Governments faced with early warning signs or pandemics must act much faster.

Social implications

If the next virus is as infectious as SARS-CoV-2 but much more fatal, the world faces disastrous consequences if most governments act as slowly as this time.

Originality/value

This is one of the first analyses of information management practices relating to the pandemic’s early stages.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 9 February 2022

This is part of a wider rift between Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Syrian Kurdish forces, the latter divided among themselves. The KRG closed two border

Details

DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB267220

ISSN: 2633-304X

Keywords

Geographic
Topical
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