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This research investigates the effect of imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on the likelihood of purchasing SSBs. We design and test an experimental framework that examines this and the effects of providing an explanation about the presence of an SSB tax and information about the negative health effects of consuming SSBs. Consistent with Elbel, Taksler, Mijanovich, Abrams, and Dixon (2013) and Taylor, Kaplan, Villas-Boas, and Jung (2019), we find that imposing a tax, in addition to increasing the conspicuousness of the tax by explaining the presence of a tax (and in some cases, the negative health effects) reduces the likelihood of purchasing an SSB anywhere from 8.39% to 18.15%. We contribute to the public health and tax policy literature by testing consumer choice in a controlled experimental setting and considering the effect of individual differences on the choice to purchase SSBs. Imposing a tax on SSBs may be an effective tool for decreasing SSB consumption that is made more effective when the tax is conspicuous.

This paper aims to examine the impact of Shari’ah supervisory boards (SSBs) on the performance of Islamic banks (IBs). It also tests whether SSBs’ attributes affect the performance of IBs. Based on a sample of 1,803 Islamic bank-year observations from 82 banks in 15 countries over the period 1993-2014 and controlling for factors known to affect bank performance, this study reveals a robust and significant positive relationship between SSBs and Islamic bank performance. This study also shows that the characteristics of SSBs affect the performance of IBs. This research reveals how SSBs influence the performance of IBs, as well as the processes and roles SSBs use to ensure Shari’ah compliance in business transactions.

The purpose of this study design is to relate SSB presence, size and diversity to financial performance using three techniques. The first technique is a multivariate data analysis that analyzes data arising from more than one variable. The second technique is a clustered regression (clustering by bank), which corrects for serial correlation and produces unbiased t-statistics. Because this sample is drawn from panel data, it is expected serial autocorrelation of the independent variables and error term within banks. In cases where within-company correlation exists, t-statistics based on average regression coefficients from year-by-year regression are upwardly biased and potentially severe (Peterson, 2009). Therefore, this study uses a technique that agrees with Stock and Watson (2002), who show that the standard method of calculating heteroskedasticity-robust standard errors for the fixed-effects estimator generates inconsistent variance estimates. Thus, using the clustered regression is consistent with the fixed-effects estimator. The third technique is a two-stage least-squares regression that helps build an instrumental variable for robustness tests purposes.

The findings suggest that large corporate boards and large SSBs are more efficient in dealing with different monitoring and advisory roles than small SSBs. Consequently, this suggests that increasing the size of corporate boards and SSBs should improve monitoring and advisory functions, management behavior and organizational performance.

It is possible that there is an upper limit to this benefit, however; we do not explore this limit, which therefore provides opportunities for additional research. Because Shari’ah compliance relates only to a rational legal framework of negative screening relegated to interest prohibition and limiting uncertainty. The interest prohibition and limiting uncertainty have not been investigated between the two samples due to data unavailability. In addition, limited accounting-based measures of financial performance may not accurately portray IB performance; hence, an additional market measure is implemented, which is Tobin’s Q.

Ultimately, these findings could help IBs improve their financial results by enhancing their internal and external governance mechanisms (Walsh and Seward, 1990). They provide a basis for developing larger, more diverse SSBs that are more focused on complying with Shari’ah and corporate governance. The results also have significant policy implications for improving firm-level corporate governance versus improving country-level institutional factors. Both views have their advocates. However, it is very difficult to reform the legal system in a short time. Still, this study shows that struggling IBs have a way to improve their corporate governance and simultaneously improve their financing environment.

This research contributes to the literature on the effects of SSBs on IBs’ organizational financial performance, processes and roles. It is the first to examine empirically the underpinnings of how SSBs affect organizational financial performance via agency theory and contingency theory.

This paper aims to analyse the location as root of the specificity of the sources of competitiveness in subsistence small businesses (SSBs) of wood industry to improve the situation of poverty and the different behaviour of subsistence entrepreneurs.

The research uses an exploratory analysis based on principal components in two phases and confirmatory analysis based on partial least square techniques applied to a sample of 113 small and medium enterprises of wood industry in Oberá, a region of Argentina.

The analysis evidences the use of competitiveness sources of SSBs and a double behaviour in SSBs according to subsistence threshold. Satisfactory SSBs use competitiveness sources to improve organizational and economic performance. Unsatisfactory SSBs find economic performance without relation to organizational performance.

Data are cross-sectional, and in a conjuncture of economy expansion, future research should monitor the sample of firms using panel data to assess the development of relations. Sample is in a particular region and sector, and generalizations should be done carefully.

SSBs should raise the strategy integrating short and long term, which requires a strengthening of intellectual capital, especially in cooperation, professionalism and training. They could integrate and share a business community to develop competitive advantages of collective systemic.

The research shows the importance of the location for the competitiveness of SSBs and provides a classification of SSBs according to their performance.

This paper aims to study the competitiveness of subsistence small businesses (SSBs) and the use of the place to get competitive advantages. Complementarily the paper analyzes the intellectual capital as a possible mediator for the competitiveness of SSBs.

Data were obtained by conducting surveys with owners and managers of wood-processing companies located in Misiones (Argentina), during 2015. The research uses principal component analysis and path analysis to study the relationships. The study introduces tangible resources and size as control variables.

The results show the importance of place as source of competitive advantages in SSBs. The SSBs present competitive advantages that generate better results. The place affects competitive advantages directly and indirectly through intellectual capital.

The data used refer to a certain period, so the use of the panel data enables generalizing findings over time. Sample is in a particular region and sector, and generalizations should be done carefully.

SSBs should raise the strategy integrating short and long term, which requires a strengthening of intellectual capital, especially in cooperation, professionalism and training.

The findings suggest specific support local policies to these businesses to improve their performance in developing countries.

SSBs are very important in developing countries, but they are not sufficiently studied. This paper examines place-based competitiveness of SSBs and the moderation effect of dimensions of intellectual capital.

Software and software‐based services (SSBS) are a major domain of the European ICT industry and are recognised as a key element in developing the information society. This article aims to shed light on the various strategies, policies and activities pursued by the EU and its member states.

The article is based on a survey of national programmes that are aimed specifically or in substantial part at the software sector. This analysis and assessment usually faces two challenges: unlike other technologies that have the same significance and/or the same attractiveness, the SSBS industry is a very dynamic one, due to several specific characteristics; and there are increasing inter‐dependencies between the European and national levels as well as between supply‐side and demand‐side policies, which require a more detailed analysis of the different national policies for the EU member states. Therefore a comparative analytical framework is used that takes account of the different composition and structure of the SSBS industries in EU member states.

The analysis shows that there are still great differences among the EU member states, but in general there is relatively little activity in European member state governments targeted specifically at fostering SSBS producers. However, as a result of the EU activities virtually all member states have implemented policies to foster the development towards an information society.

The paper highlights that normally these overall policies address and integrate both the supply side as well as the demand side. This is at least an improvement compared to recent years, when adaption, diffusion and application were taken for granted.

Subsistence small businesses (SSBs) do not seek the maximum benefit; they only seek a benefit that enough satisfies their basic needs. In consequence, a dual behaviour of companies is expected and possibly the competitiveness of these companies is different. The purpose of this paper is to study the dual behaviour of SSBs and the differences about their competitive advantages.

Data were obtained by conducting surveys with owners and managers of wood processing companies located in a region of Misiones (Argentina). The results were checked by interviews in 2012 and 2015. The research uses principal component analysis and K-means to classify the different behaviour and MANOVA analysis to study the relationships.

The findings suggest two types of SSBs and show that competitive advantages are different into two groups of companies.

The data used refer to a certain period of time, with interviews in next periods. Sample is in a particular region and sector and generalisations should be done carefully. The variables are measured with subjective questions.

The findings suggest instruments to change the strategy of unsatisfied SSBs to grow.

The growth of SSBs is very important in poorest areas. The paper suggest governments’ politics that facilitate a stable environment for improving competitiveness of SSBs.

SSBs are very important in developing countries, but they are not sufficiently studied. The research shows the importance of satisfying principle in the competitiveness of subsistence entrepreneurs.

This paper aims to determine the impact of the economic crisis on the level of social commitment of the Spanish savings banks.

The paper uses the information provided by Spanish savings banks (SSBs) for 2004‐2009. In particular, it analyses the evolution of the welfare fund, the financial results, and the ratio between the welfare fund and the financial results variables for each of the SBs, to go more thoroughly into how the welfare fund is distributed.

The evolution of the allocations to the welfare fund shows a significant decline in absolute numbers, as a logical consequence of the significant decrease in the financial results. However, a substantial WF/P ratio growth can be seen in 2008 – 27.81 per cent – and, above all, of 36.08 per cent in 2009. This has allowed a certain mitigation of the decline of the allocations. In addition, a change has taken place in the distribution of the welfare fund, the amount for health and social care being bigger than the amount spent on culture and leisure.

This paper aims to highlight the impact that the process of mergers and acquisitions can have on the survival and the social commitment of the SBs.

The paper provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the effect of the economic crisis on the social commitment of the Spanish savings banks.

The purpose of this study is mainly to comprehensively investigate the current practices of Islamic banks’ Shari’ah supervisory boards in the specific context of Yemen.

The study uses a qualitative approach in the form of in-depth interviews of a number of Shari’ah scholars active within the Yemeni Islamic banks.

The findings support the notion that Islamic banking still lacks regulations and standards, as the Yemeni Islamic banks are still following the minimum requirements and only apply the compulsory standards. Another key finding is that Islamic banks in Yemen apply similar principles in Fatwa issuance and Shari’ah compliance assurance, especially in referring to the different Madzhabs’ and scholars’ opinions because of the sensitivity of Yemeni community with regards to the Shari’ah compliance aspect. Finally, the procedure of Shari’ah review of the Islamic banks’ operations varied from the typical set of procedures to the loose ones in terms of the number of staff in the Shari’ah audit department and the application of a comprehensive survey or sampling to review the banks’ transactions.

This study provides some valuable recommendations to further enhance the Shari’ah supervisory practices not only in Yemen but also in similar settings.

This study aims to examine diversity in the composition of Shariah supervisory boards (SSBs) of Islamic banks (IBs). It investigates diversity from two perspectives: existing composition of SSBs and the regulatory frameworks and standards of selected Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries. Diversity characteristics include education, nationality, gender and age.

A list of all full-fledged Islamic commercial banks (FFICBs) globally has been carefully prepared and confirmed. Conventional banks with Islamic windows, non-commercial banks, takaful companies and other Islamic financial institutions are excluded. The available profiles of 428 SSB members have been scrutinised and analysed. These board members occupy 522 SSB positions in 238 FFICBs operating in 52 countries around the globe. From the regulatory perspective, 12 national and international Shariah governance frameworks and standards have been examined.

Findings of this paper indicate various levels of diversity in SSBs of the reviewed IBs. The level of diversity in educational background and in the nationality of SSBs can be described as generally acceptable. However, a lack of diversity in gender and age among SSB members is evidently observed in IBs. While the lack of age diversity in SSBs may be relatively justified as a common trend in the composition of corporate boards, SSBs of IBs are seriously lagging behind in gender diversity. On the regulatory level, this study concluded that provisions on diversity as a requirement in SSBs are almost non-existent in the existing regulatory frameworks and standards.

The major limitation of this study is the lack of available information on the SSB members.

This paper provides insights for IBs and policymakers concerned with the corporate governance of IBs and all Islamic financial institutions. First, it offers an excellent bird’s-eye view of the status of diversity in SSBs of IBs. Second, it motivates policymakers and standard-setting bodies to ensure, through the relevant regulatory frameworks, adequate levels of diversity in the composition of SSBs. Diversity in SSBs of IBs and Islamic financial institutions should be given special emphasis, not only in boards and top management positions but also in the workplace. This is of profound significance to the reputation of Islamic finance industry which has been recently under mounting pressure to translate the rhetoric about the Islamic finance industry being ethical, fair, just, equitable and inclusive into genuine implementations.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to examine the diversity of SSB members from the regulatory as well as from the implementation perspective.

The paper aims to examine the impact of Shari'ah governance quality on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in Islamic banks.

The study's sample consists of 66 Islamic banks from 14 countries over 2015–2019. The research uses the Heckman model, which is a two-stage estimation method to obtain unbiased estimates, as ESG scores are only observable for 17 Islamic banks in Eikon Refinitiv database at the time of the analysis.

The analysis shows that Shari'ah governance has a beneficial role to achieve ESG performance. The analysis also shows that enhanced profiles of Shari'ah supervisory boards' (SSB) attributes are more efficient than the operational procedures to promote ESG performance. In addition, the analysis shows that enhanced SSBs' attributes strengthen the bank's corporate governance framework, while sound-designed procedures increase the bank's social activities by emphasizing their roles to ensure Shari'ah compliance. Finally, the analysis sheds light on the failure of Shari'ah governance to promote environmental performance.

The existing databases providing companies' ESG-related information still do not offer sufficient data to conduct an international study with a larger sample of Islamic banks (IBs) having ESG scores for a more extended period.

The research provides policy insights to Islamic banks' stakeholders to promote social and governance performance in the Islamic finance industry through improving Shari'ah governance practices. However, raising environmental awareness is imminent among all actors implicated in the Shari'ah governance processes to help overcome the anthropogenic risks.

The research complements the governance-banks' ESG performance literature by examining the role of Shari'ah governance. The research also extends the literature on Islamic banks' sustainability by pointing to the Shari'ah governance failure to enhance environmental performance and thus achieve Maqasid al-Shariah regarding the environment.