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Book part
Publication date: 28 September 2015

Md Shah Azam

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and…

Abstract

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.

Details

E-Services Adoption: Processes by Firms in Developing Nations
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-325-9

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 August 2023

Enrique Feás

The purpose of this paper is to settle the methodological debate on the decomposition of value added in gross exports, proposing a standard, exposing the drawbacks of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to settle the methodological debate on the decomposition of value added in gross exports, proposing a standard, exposing the drawbacks of the alternatives and quantifying the differences.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper systematizes the analytical framework and assesses and quantifies the various methodologies and its main differences.

Findings

The decomposition method of Borin and Mancini (2023), using a source-based approach and an exporting country perspective, should be considered as the standard for decomposing the value added in gross exports. This study finds that alternative approaches and perspectives are methodologically inferior, and that tailored perspectives do not provide an increase in accuracy that compensates their drawbacks.

Originality/value

This paper’s contribution is fourfold: it rejects the alleged equivalence between approaches and perspectives, defending the superiority of a particular method, approach and perspective; it gives quantitative examples of the differences between them; it proves that the drawbacks of tailored perspectives do not compensate their alleged accuracy (as they do not result in big quantitative differences with the standard perspective); and it argues that no valid standard decomposition can forego the calculation of value added exported, which requires the expression of exports in terms of final demand.

Details

Applied Economic Analysis, vol. 31 no. 93
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2632-7627

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 February 2004

Mehdi Farashahi and Rick Molz

There is an ongoing debate over the transference of managerial and organizational skills, techniques, values and culture from developed countries to developing countries. We argue…

Abstract

There is an ongoing debate over the transference of managerial and organizational skills, techniques, values and culture from developed countries to developing countries. We argue there is a false underlying assumption among academics in developed countries that the theoretical template of managerial and organizational attributes in developing countries is similar to what one finds in developed countries. Two key analytical insights are offered. First, we explicitly differentiate organizational, environmental and cultural characteristics of developed and developing countries. Second, we apply Scott’s (1992) natural/ecological level of analysis to create a framework to better carry out organizational analysis in developing countries.

Details

International Journal of Commerce and Management, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1056-9219

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2005

Meerabai Gosine‐Boodoo and Mark McNish

The main aim of the research conducted was to identify whether the particular country environment of today's professional librarian impacts upon his/her skills capabilities as…

1603

Abstract

Purpose

The main aim of the research conducted was to identify whether the particular country environment of today's professional librarian impacts upon his/her skills capabilities as well as upon his/her access to opportunities for continued development.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was sourced by means of a survey administered to professional librarians mainly from the developing Caribbean Region and the developed North American countries. Firstly, the satisfaction level of librarians with regard to six recommended skills and characteristics was measured. These areas are detailed as follows: communication; training; information technology (IT); managerial; commitment and subject knowledge/profiling. Secondly, professional development opportunities were measured via skills, services and attitudes, key areas also recommended for staff development and training.

Findings

Findings demonstrated that librarians' perceptions showed noteworthy similarities and fewer differences than expected between the respective country categories. Both perspectives reflected similar zones of “skills insecurity”.

Research limitations/implications

The greatest challenge faced by the researchers was to source a sample size that could yield meaningful results in relation to the hypotheses.

Originality/value

A comparison of librarians from a geo‐economic position (i.e. in relation to geographic location and world economic order) appears to have been largely unexplored. The study is intended as well to encourage key players from both country contexts to unite for the enhancement of librarians' professional development.

Details

New Library World, vol. 106 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 October 2017

Yang Yu and Valerie J. Lindsay

The purpose of the study is to explain why some foreign firms are accepted in a host country, while others are not.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to explain why some foreign firms are accepted in a host country, while others are not.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual. It first articulates the meaning of firm acceptability in the eyes of host country societies, which remains ambiguous in the current literature. Second, using a social psychological theory, the paper explores the firm-level attributes that can shape the societal judgment of firms’ acceptability.

Findings

The paper suggests that foreign firms’ acceptability pertains to the perception to which they can contribute to the host country’s economic development and societal well-being. The judgment of this is carried out by emphasizing three types of organizational cues, which indicate firms’ capacity to contribute.

Research limitations/implications

This conceptual paper contributes to the understanding of firms’ social acceptance in a host country by explicating the meaning of social acceptability and exploring the evaluation mechanism local actors adopt to judge foreign firms. The paper would benefit from empirical investigation by future research.

Originality/value

The meaning of social acceptability of foreign firms remains largely implicit in the literature; likewise, the evaluative mechanism of the firms’ acceptability is little researched. The paper addresses these two issues by undertaking a critical theory stance. It builds on a social psychology theory, multinational corporation (MNC) literature and economic nationalism, thus demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach.

Details

critical perspectives on international business, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 13 May 2017

Umesh Sharma and Sivendra Michael

Countries across the Pacific are going through significant educational reforms. One of the most significant reforms within the education sector relates to education of children…

Abstract

Countries across the Pacific are going through significant educational reforms. One of the most significant reforms within the education sector relates to education of children with disabilities. There is a push at the regional level to include students with disabilities in mainstream schools. Many countries are in the process of either revising existing policies or drafting new policy documents to implement inclusive education practices. One group of stakeholders that is going to be directly influenced by the policies is the families of children with disabilities. No attempts have been made to understand what parents think about the new policy directions. In this chapter, we make an attempt to present parental perspective about inclusive education from four countries of the Pacific (Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu). We believe understanding parental perspectives about inclusive education from the Pacific will shed some light on how likely the new reform will be embraced by them. It will also identify any significant issues of concern that may need to be considered for successful implementation of inclusive education reform in the Pacific.

Details

Working with Families for Inclusive Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78714-260-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 November 2014

P. Saskia Bayerl, Kate E. Horton, Gabriele Jacobs, Sofie Rogiest, Zdenko Reguli, Mario Gruschinske, Pietro Costanzo, Trpe Stojanovski, Gabriel Vonas, Mila Gascó and Karen Elliott

– The purpose of this paper is to clarify the diversity of professional perspectives on police culture in an international context.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the diversity of professional perspectives on police culture in an international context.

Design/methodology/approach

In a first step the authors developed a standardized instrument of 45 occupational features for comparative analysis of police professional views. This set was inductively created from 3,441 descriptors of the police profession from a highly diverse sample of 166 police officers across eight European countries. Using this standardized instrument, Q-methodological interviews with another 100 police officers in six European countries were conducted.

Findings

The authors identified five perspectives on the police profession suggesting disparities in officers’ outlooks and understanding of their occupation. Yet, the findings also outline considerable overlaps in specific features considered important or unimportant across perspectives.

Research limitations/implications

The study emphasizes that police culture needs to be described beyond the logic of distinct dimensions in well-established typologies. Considering specific features of the police profession determines which aspects police officers agree on across organizational and national contexts and which aspects are unique.

Practical implications

The feature-based approach provides concrete pointers for the planning and implementation of (inter)national and inter-organizational collaborations as well as organizational change.

Originality/value

This study suggests an alternative approach to investigate police culture. It further offers a new perspective on police culture that transcends context-specific boundaries.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 37 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 October 2011

Dirk Morschett and Hanna Schramm-Klein

Purpose – Taking a configurational perspective, this study explores if there are different market entry strategies used and if there are ideal configurations of subsidiary…

Abstract

Purpose – Taking a configurational perspective, this study explores if there are different market entry strategies used and if there are ideal configurations of subsidiary strategy in different types of foreign countries.

Methodology – The study is based on a sample of 238 subsidiaries of German companies that are located in 38 different countries. Capturing many different facets of the subsidiary strategy, the configuration of top performers in different environments is identified. With a ‘fit as profile deviation’ approach, it is investigated whether the strategy of the top performers indeed constitutes an ideal strategy.

Findings – The host countries of the subsidiaries can be clustered in four types: BRICs, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the USA. Chosen market entry modes differ significantly between those four host country types. The top performing subsidiaries in each of the country types have distinct strategy patterns. However, deviation from the strategy profile of the top performers only explains the lower performance of subsidiaries in country types BRICs and Eastern Europe. Performance differences between subsidiaries in Western Europe and the USA cannot be explained with the variables captured in this study.

Research limitations/implications – Taking a configurational approach on subsidiary strategy proves to be a promising path to create new insights. But subsidiary strategy pattern alone is insufficient to explain performance in two country types. Thus, other influence factors must be investigated. Furthermore, the study did explore subsidiary strategy patterns with a cluster analysis, without ex ante hypotheses about the patterns. Hence, further studies are needed to re-investigate these patterns.

Details

Entrepreneurship in the Global Firm
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78052-115-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1992

Jeff Madura and Luc Soenen

Over the last 20 years, research has confirmed and reconfirmed the benefits of international diversification. [See Madura (1984) for a review of this research.] However, changes…

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, research has confirmed and reconfirmed the benefits of international diversification. [See Madura (1984) for a review of this research.] However, changes in international stock market and foreign exchange market behavior require that some issues be reassessed. First, how do potential gains from international diversification vary across perspectives? Most of the past research focused solely on a U.S. perspective. Solnik (1974) assessed various perspectives, but the period assessed was prior to the inception of floating exchange rates. Because of the high degree of integration of stock markets and the volatility of foreign exchange rales, a reassessment from various perspectives is necessary.

Details

Managerial Finance, vol. 18 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4358

Article
Publication date: 30 June 2014

Eva J.B. Jørgensen

The purpose of this paper is to provide new insight concerning a relatively understudied phenomenon in the medium sized enterprise (SME) internationalisation and international…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide new insight concerning a relatively understudied phenomenon in the medium sized enterprise (SME) internationalisation and international entrepreneurship literature; the internationalisation of firms crossing the border to only one adjacent foreign country. These firms are called border firms. This study explores the variety of internationalisation patterns of border firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on theoretical perspectives related to speed of internationalisation and country embeddedness, and uses empirical data from seven Norwegian case companies operating across the border between Norway and Russia.

Findings

Three different internationalisation patterns of border firms are empirically identified and described; an early single-country path, a born-again border path and a born border path. Then, a model of the distinctive cross-border pathway is developed.

Research limitations/implications

Several limitations of this study have implications for further research, such as sample size and setting, the new perspective on country embeddedness and questions related to generalisation of the findings.

Practical implications

The study has implications for both entrepreneurs and policy-makers. It demonstrates that internationalisation is not always about “going global” and is sometimes simply a matter of “hopping” across the nearest border. The model demonstrates different possible patterns for how to achieve or support this in practice.

Originality/value

This study contributes to theory-building in the field of SME internationalisation and international entrepreneurship in three ways. First, it identifies and defines an interesting but neglected type of international venture; border firms. Second, it explores the different start-up patterns of these firms, their speed and embeddedness. Third, it offers a theoretical framework of the distinct cross-border pathway of internationalisation.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

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