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1 – 10 of 727Oswald A. J. Mascarenhas, Munish Thakur and Payal Kumar
In Chapter 1, we critically reviewed the foundations of the free enterprise capital system (FECS), which has been successful primarily because of its wealth and asset accumulation…
Abstract
Executive Summary
In Chapter 1, we critically reviewed the foundations of the free enterprise capital system (FECS), which has been successful primarily because of its wealth and asset accumulation potentiality and actuality. In this chapter, we critically argue that this capacity has been grounded upon the profit maximization (PM) theories, models, and paradigms of FECS. The intent of this chapter is not anti-PM. The PM models of FECS have worked and performed well for more than 200 years of the economic history of the United States and other developed countries, and this phenomenon is celebrated and featured as “market performativity.” However, market performativity has not truly benefitted the poor and the marginalized; on the contrary, market performativity has wittingly or unwittingly created gaping inequalities of wealth, income, opportunity, and prosperity. Critical thinking does not combat PM but challenges it with alternative models of profit sharing that promote social wealth, social welfare, social progress, and opportunity for all, which we explore here. Economic development without social progress breeds economic inequality and social injustice. Economic development alone is not enough; we should create a new paradigm in which economic development is the servant of social progress, not vice versa. Such a paradigm shift involves integrating the creativity and innovativity of market performativity and the goals and drives of social performativity together with PM, that is, from market performativity to social performativity.
Muhammad Ayub, Khurram Khan, Mansoor Khan and Muhammad Ismail
The unique institution of waqf that was ignored during the colonization of the Muslim areas has to be revived to play its role in shared growth, social inclusion and cohesion in…
Abstract
Purpose
The unique institution of waqf that was ignored during the colonization of the Muslim areas has to be revived to play its role in shared growth, social inclusion and cohesion in society. This research paper aims to explore the role of waqf as an instrument for a sustainable growth system and to suggest a model for socioeconomic development in an economy like that of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative research is based on analytical methods to arrive at the frameworks and a model that could facilitate the revival of waqf for community development/social inclusion in economies like that of Pakistan.
Findings
As most of the OIC member states like Pakistan are facing serious financial problems due to debt servicing obligations, promoting Waqf for various socioeconomic and cultural functions is a vital requirement for such economies. The inability of the state institutions in providing necessary civic, health and education facilities to the public is causing serious harm to the balance of the society. It requires promoting a formal system of charity and using FinTech for waqf-based donations and financing the micro businesses. The perpetuity complimented by the profitability of the waqf properties makes the waqf institutions sustainable and effective when compared to individual charities.
Research limitations/implications
This is conceptual research discussing the potential of waqf in light of its historical role. Researchers may undertake empirical studies on awqaf operations in various jurisdictions and their role in the empowerment of the poor.
Practical implications
The research will provide the researchers with insight into the potential of waqf as a tool for community development. Besides, it will enable policymakers and implementation authorities to socialize charity for sustained benefits and welfare.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first major research that discusses the role of waqf in economies facing budgetary and trade deficits in the eradication of poverty and the promotion of social and economic entrepreneurship in realizing the community development targets for the economies like that of Pakistan.
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Yi Wang, Yangyang Jiang, Baojiang Geng, Ziqi Yan and Xiaorong Wang
This study aims to explore the social networks and network interactions of bed-and-breakfast (B&B) entrepreneurs in rural China. In addition, it evaluates how such network…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the social networks and network interactions of bed-and-breakfast (B&B) entrepreneurs in rural China. In addition, it evaluates how such network interactions relate to rural resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth interviews were performed in two locations: Ningbo and Dujiangyan, China. Purposive sampling was combined with snowball sampling to select interviewees. The 154 interviews involved 29 B&B owners and relevant social actors. All codes and data were analyzed using the discourse analysis framework.
Findings
The B&B owners’ social networks were identified based on strategic goals, revealing a business operation network, business development network and business citizenship network. Challenges in seeking financial support for rural B&Bs during the pandemic were specified along with network interactions. The institutional adaptation approach was used to evaluate network interaction in rural B&B business. It was argued that other networks would react based on primary network members’ goal compatibility and the effectiveness of the primary network in addressing obstacles.
Practical implications
This study indicates that the rural B&B entrepreneurs’ interactions with various networks could influence on business resilience, community resilience as well as rural resilience.
Originality/value
By combining the institutional adaptation typology with social network theory, this study generates a new typology of network interactions for rural B&Bs. The typology helps to explain how and why B&B entrepreneurs make decisions and provides a broader scope of social networks involved in these business operations.
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Lucía Rodríguez-Aceves, Marcia Lorena Rodríguez-Aldana and
The study aims to explore the influence of conscious business practices (CBPs) on the reputational capital (RC) of SMEs with the generation of the manager (X/Y) as a moderator of…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to explore the influence of conscious business practices (CBPs) on the reputational capital (RC) of SMEs with the generation of the manager (X/Y) as a moderator of such relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted empirical research based on a cross-sectional survey on 115 Western Mexican SME managers using PLS structural equation modeling to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
SMEs RC is nurtured by adopting two CBPs. The effect on RC may differ according to managers’ generation. In Western Mexican SMEs, Gen X managers perceive that a higher purpose is more important for building RC, while conscious culture comes first for millennials.
Research limitations/implications
The generalisability of the findings is decreased, given that the study relied on convenience and non-probabilistic sampling in one economy. The lack of previous studies on SMEs, and the difficulty in conducting research in an emerging economy, gives the findings an importance in furthering research.
Practical implications
It contributes to strengthen SMEs’ RC through CBPs.
Social implications
It broadens the perspective of SMEs in emerging economies to adopt CBPs for increasing their RC. This relationship varies depending on the managers’ generation.
Originality/value
The study used the quantitative approach to explore the perception of Mexican Gen X managers and millennials on the relationship between CBPs and their effects on RC.
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Cristina del Río, Karen González-Álvarez and Francisco José López-Arceiz
The purpose of this study is to examine the existence of greenwashing and sustainable development goal (SDG)-washing processes by comparing ex ante (SDG Compass) and ex post (SDG…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the existence of greenwashing and sustainable development goal (SDG)-washing processes by comparing ex ante (SDG Compass) and ex post (SDG Compliance) indicators and investigating whether the limitations associated with these indicators encourage companies to engage in washing processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a sample of 1,154 companies included in the S&P Sustainability Yearbook (formerly the RobecoSAM Yearbook). The authors test for the presence of greenwashing by comparing ex ante and ex post indicators for each SDG, whereas to test for SDG-washing, the authors compare the two ex ante and ex post approaches considering the full set of SDGs.
Findings
The results show that there is no consistency between the two types of indicators to measure the level of SDG implementation in organisations. This lack of consistency may facilitate both greenwashing and SDG-washing processes, which is due to the design and limitations of these measurement tools.
Practical implications
Companies may choose those indicators that paint their commitment to the SDGs in the best light, but they may also select indicators based on the SDGs they want to report on. These two options would combine greenwashing and SDG-washing.
Social implications
The shift towards improved standards and regulations for measuring SDG achievement is the result of several social factors such as investor scrutiny, regulatory reform, consumer awareness and increased corporate accountability.
Originality/value
Few previous studies have analysed in detail the interaction between greenwashing and SDG-washing. They focus on the use of ex ante or ex post indicators separately, with samples composed of local companies, and without considering the whole set of SDGs.
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Muhammad Sajid, Amanat Ali, Sareer Ahmad, Nikhil Chandra Shil and Izaz Arshad
This study empirically examines the impact of some domestic as well as global factors such as trade openness (TO), money supply (MS), exchange rate, global oil prices (GOPs) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study empirically examines the impact of some domestic as well as global factors such as trade openness (TO), money supply (MS), exchange rate, global oil prices (GOPs) and interest rate (IR) on inflation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study deploys a quantitative method considering 30 years of data (1991–2020) from four South Asian countries, namely, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. To determine the potential impact of different factors on inflation, this study applies the panel analysis of the system generalized method of moments (SGMM).
Findings
This study empirically finds that TO, MS, exchange rate and GOPs have a positive impact on inflation, while IR and the structural adjustment program (SAP) have a negative impact on inflation. Out of the various determinants considered in this study, TO, exchange rate and the SAP are insignificant, while the rest of the variables are significant and consistent with previous studies.
Practical implications
This study informs policymakers about maintaining price stability and fostering economic growth in South Asian nations. It breaks new ground as the first empirical examination of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s SAP impact on inflation in the region.
Originality/value
This study tries to find out whether the SAP of the IMF is responsible for inflation in South Asian countries. It gives renewed attention to the causality of inflation from the perspective of countries receiving loans from donors, especially the IMF.
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Vinay Surendra Yadav and Rakesh Raut
Substantial pressure from civil society and investors has forced governments around the world to take climate neutrality initiatives. Several countries have pledged their…
Abstract
Purpose
Substantial pressure from civil society and investors has forced governments around the world to take climate neutrality initiatives. Several countries have pledged their nationally determined contributions towards net-zero. However, there exist various obstacles to achieving the same and the agriculture sector is one of them. Thus, this study identifies and models the critical barriers to achieving climate neutrality in the agriculture food supply chain (AFSC).
Design/methodology/approach
Sixteen barriers are identified through a literature survey and are validated by the questionnaire survey. Furthermore, the interactions amongst the barriers are estimated through the application of the “weighted influence non-linear gauge system (WINGS)” method which considers the both intensity of influence and the strength of the barrier. To mitigate these barriers, a framework based on green, resilient and inclusive development (GRID) is proposed.
Findings
The obtained results reveal that lack of collaboration amongst AFSC stakeholders, lack of information and education awareness, and lack of technical expertise obtained a higher rank (amongst the top five) in three indicators of the WINGS method and thus are the most significant barriers.
Originality/value
This paper is the first attempt in modelling the climate neutrality barriers for the Indian AFSC. Additionally, the mitigating strategies are prepared using the GRID framework.
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In this study, the impact of access to electricity on poverty reduction for Botswana is examined using the annual data from 1990 to 2021. The study was motivated by the need to…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, the impact of access to electricity on poverty reduction for Botswana is examined using the annual data from 1990 to 2021. The study was motivated by the need to establish if access to electricity could be a panacea on poverty reduction in Botswana. Given that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals deadline is fast approaching, and Botswana being one of the signatories, is expected to end poverty in all its forms – Goal 1. Establishing the role that electrification plays in poverty alleviation, helps in refocusing Botswana’s poverty alleviation strategies on factors that have high impact on poverty. The main objective of this study, therefore, is to investigate the relationship between poverty alleviation and access to electricity in Botswana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to investigate the nature of the relations. Two poverty proxies were used in this study namely, household consumption expenditure and life expectancy.
Findings
The study found access to electricity to reduce poverty in the long run and in the short run, regardless of the poverty measure used. Thus, access to electricity plays an important role in poverty alleviation and Botswana is recommended to continue with the rural and urban electrification initiatives.
Originality/value
The study explores the impact of access to electricity on poverty reduction in Botswana, a departure from the current studies that examined the same relationship using energy consumption in general. This is on the back of increasing dependence of economic activities on electricity as a major source of energy.
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This study aims to examine whether there exists any relationship between corporate biodiversity reporting decision (CBRD) and corporate environmental performance (CEP).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether there exists any relationship between corporate biodiversity reporting decision (CBRD) and corporate environmental performance (CEP).
Design/methodology/approach
The primary sample contains 442 firm-year observations over a period of 13 years (2008–2020) for 34 listed Finnish companies. Based on both legitimacy theory and voluntary disclosure theory, 2 logit regression models are estimated to test the CBRD–CEP nexus. CBRD is a dichotomous variable. Three proxies for CEP, namely propensity to emit greenhouse gas (GHG), propensity to consume water and propensity to generate waste are employed.
Findings
This study finds that firms having higher propensity to consume water and generate waste are inclined to release biodiversity-related information. The findings support legitimacy theory suggesting that firms with inferior environmental performance may decide on reporting biodiversity information for legitimation purpose.
Research limitations/implications
The study uses Finnish data and hence, the results may lack in generalizability to other national contexts.
Practical implications
The results of this study should be valuable to policy makers for formulating mandatory biodiversity reporting standards to ensure disclosure of standard, extensive and authentic biodiversity-related information by companies. The results should also be valuable to corporate managers and eco-friendly investors.
Originality/value
Corporate biodiversity reporting (CBR) is an under-researched area of environmental accounting literature. Using the Finnish context, this paper extends the existing literature by investigating whether any association exists between CBRD and CEP, which has not been examined before.
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