Search results
1 – 10 of over 63000This paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of efficiency and non-market capability in the relationship between government involvement and resources to performance of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of efficiency and non-market capability in the relationship between government involvement and resources to performance of water supply companies (PDAM) in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is explanatory in nature, i.e. it explains the relationship (causality) between the external environment variables (government involvement), internal environment variables (resources and non-market capabilities) and the performance of taps in Sulawesi through hypothesis testing. The research was conducted in six provinces in the northern peninsula of Sulawesi Island: North Sulawesi Province, Gorontalo Province, Central Sulawesi Province, Southeast Sulawesi Province, South Sulawesi Province and West Sulawesi Province. The research was undertaken from September 2011 to December 2011. The analysis unit in this research was PDAM, while the research population was the regional water company (PDAM) in Sulawesi. A quantitative approach was used for data analysis, i.e. variance-based inferential statistical analysis with structural equation modeling, known as partial least squares, with variable non-market capability acting as a moderating variable.
Findings
Government involvement has a significant and positive effect on the performance, indicating that the higher the government involvement, the higher the performance of a company. Efforts to reduce water loss level for PDAM is a strategic move, as they are associated with PDAM’s stakeholders. Water loss will lead to poor customer service, low contribution to the acceptance of regional governments and failure to meet natural conservation programs. On the other hand, to reduce the water loss level, considerable capital is needed for investment, for example, to finance the installation and repair of pipelines, pumps, mains water meter, customer water meter, the cost of water treatment, fuel costs and the expansion of the water source. In general, PDAM in Sulawesi still has problems in terms of expansion because of the lack of funding sources; hence, the role of regional government as the owner is expected, both in the form of financial aid and the tariff adjustment. The government should be in favor of thorough development of drinking water, as embodied in the form of finance, budget commitment and the commitment to the development of PDAM.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of this study are that the data used in this study are cross-sectional, so they only describe the condition at a particular time. Also, the sample was limited to Sulawesi taps; therefore, to generalize the findings, a larger sample needs to be considered.
Practical implications
The practical implications of this study are that development of water supply company cannot be separated from the government’s involvement as one of the stakeholders to improve corporate performance, especially through financial assistance. In connection with it, a board of directors or management of PDAM in every department of a company constantly works on government involvement, especially financial aid to fund or investment fund sharing, to improve service to customers. Such activities run a company aimed at achieving efficiency with emphasis on the efficiency of production and distribution capacity by managing the leakage rate, the emphasis on labor costs by keeping the ratio of employees ideal, the emphasis on aspects of the supply and distribution through control of water resources and water meter mains and water customers and an emphasis on the use of raw materials or chemicals with attention to the quality of raw water.
Social implications
The social implications of this study are that government interventions are supported by the availability of resources according to the needs able to create efficiencies that have an impact on improving the performance of taps. Companies performing well can operate optimally in providing drinking water that meets health standards. In addition, the performance achieved allows the taps to embody the organization’s mission as a creator of jobs and local revenue for local governments.
Originality/value
Originality for this paper shows the moderating effect of efficiency and non-market capability in the relationship between government involvement and resources to PDAM. The originality also includes the location of this study (six provinces in the northern peninsula of Sulawesi Island: North Sulawesi Province, Gorontalo Province, Central Sulawesi Province, Southeast Sulawesi Province, South Sulawesi Province and West Sulawesi Province) as no previous research has investigated this relationship in this geography.
Details
Keywords
Grace Chun Guo, Crystal X. Jiang and Qin Yang
In recent decades many emerging markets (EMFs) have undertaken entrepreneurial transformations to adapt to institutional transition and industrial change. Corporate…
Abstract
In recent decades many emerging markets (EMFs) have undertaken entrepreneurial transformations to adapt to institutional transition and industrial change. Corporate entrepreneurship (CE) provided EMFs viable ways to revitalize, reconfigure, and transform successfully with the dynamic environment. Although previous research examined government roles on EMFs' CE activities, little is known about the mechanisms of how government exerts influence on CE activities. To fully understand CE of EMFs, we propose a stage model to explore specific roles governments play that affect CE activities over time. In particular, we investigate how governments' grabbing hand, helping hand, and invisible hand roles affected Chinese auto firms' CE activities at different stages from 1980 to 2016. Government involvement is summarized and the advantages and disadvantages of these roles are analyzed.
Much of the literature on citizen participation in the budget process links the council-manager form of government with higher levels of citizen participation, assuming the…
Abstract
Much of the literature on citizen participation in the budget process links the council-manager form of government with higher levels of citizen participation, assuming the council-manager form represents professional administration. This is contradictory to the reality that different forms of government have “borrowed” features from each other and many now have mixed forms of government (i.e., adapted). The literature also contains ambiguities about city managers’ role in participatory budgeting. We review the literature and identify three competing theories about the role of professional managers in the budget process. We directly examine the effect of city managers in terms of their professional dimensions, institutional environment, and individual willingness to represent citizens. Using survey data from Florida, we demonstrate that managers’ professionalism, perceived political environment, and attitude toward citizen input are important factors explaining local governments’ adoption of participatory budgeting.
Yi-Feng Chen, Yi Kang and Dean Tjosvold
How can governments and survivors prepare for and manage natural disasters? Post-disaster reconstruction researchers advocate that community involvement is needed to help…
Abstract
Purpose
How can governments and survivors prepare for and manage natural disasters? Post-disaster reconstruction researchers advocate that community involvement is needed to help survivors recover effectively. This study aims to propose that cooperative goals between government officials and survivors develop guanxi relationships and constructive controversy wherein survivors voice their opinions to aid disaster recovery.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted the critical incident technique (CIT), which has proved especially useful for studying complex issues, as well as site-intensive research for interviews and participant observation. After developing a local reputation and rapport by working in a residential resettlement area for two months, an author used the CIT to ask 118 survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake to describe specific incidents when they interacted with government officials about recovery issues and then to rate survey items that measure independent and dependent variables.
Findings
Results, including structural equation analyses, support the reasoning that cooperative goals between government and survivors facilitate guanxi and constructive controversy, which in turn produced effective disaster recovery, as indicated by survivors’ social support, satisfaction, reduced stress and beliefs that government officials led effectively.
Research limitations/implications
The data are self-reported and subject to biases and may not be accurate.
Practical implications
In addition to developing theoretical understanding, the results can have important practical implications for strengthening relationships and constructive controversy between government and survivors.
Social implications
Results suggest that communities have practical ways to prepare for disasters. Structuring cooperative goals among survivors, encouraging guanxi relationships, and training in constructive controversy should promote effective recovery from natural disasters.
Originality/value
The paper develops theory and research on how leaders can promote community involvement for effective disaster management. The paper proposes that high-quality interpersonal relationships, also referred to guanxi, and the open-minded discussion of opposing ideas, labeled constructive controversy, are major components of effective community involvement. The paper adds to the literature by empirically documenting the utility of the Western-developed theory of cooperation and competition and the concept of constructive controversy for understanding the effectiveness of government leadership for disaster recovery in China.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how the government influences the internationalization of emerging MNEs and, more specifically, answer the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of how the government influences the internationalization of emerging MNEs and, more specifically, answer the questions how and to what extent does the combination of the home country government’s control and interest influence Russian MNEs.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the author examined sector-specific factors and institutional forces that affect the development of the Russian economy’s industries. Second, the author has classified the sectors included in this study into four groups according to the following two main criteria: the interest of the government in the development of the sector, and the degree of state control for the firms in the sector. Third, the author has analyzed the forms and types of the government participation in firms’ internationalization in defined groups based on the observation of industries’ legislative acts and state decrees and orders. After that, the author has verified the existence of certain similarities of strategies under the governmental influence, and finally discussed the extent of the control and interest implied by the government toward these firms.
Findings
After analyzing the patterns of the state involvement in firms’ internationalization in various groups the author found that some of the groups are characterized by similar types of government role and their responses are, also, sometimes similar. The author presents a more detailed look at the above results in Table III, and explain the two-sided role of the government in different groups of firms.
Research limitations/implications
While the literature emphasizes that institutional forces shape the internationalization of emerging multinational enterprises, they have not been comprehensively linked to explaining the contradictory role of the government in this process. The author addresses this gap by examining an integrated influence that home government factors (namely, control and interest) exert in enabling firms to compete abroad. In addition, the author contributes to the knowledge about the behavior of Russian firms, which is one of the less researched areas in the field of international management.
Practical implications
The paper also has value for companies’ strategists as it provides them with understanding of the complexity of government-related determinants influencing the internationalization process of their firms and the types of firms’ abilities to be developed or supported. It also provides a practical tool for modeling their international strategy formation and accounting for different types of state influences on internationalization of EM firms.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the government-related aspects of the internationalization of Russian MNEs. Even when they go abroad with strong product capabilities and a proactive managerial style, they still benefit from home country institutional resources. The author sees the strength of the empirical findings in further extension of the understanding of origins, consequences and prospects of internationalization of emerging market firms with the home government involvement.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to examine the distinctiveness of South Korean social enterprises from a historical institutionalism perspective. From this perspective, the author focuses on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the distinctiveness of South Korean social enterprises from a historical institutionalism perspective. From this perspective, the author focuses on the proactive roles played by the government in the process of emergence and formulation of social enterprises in South Korea. The author roots this paper in the concept of the developmental state and examines how this concept applies to newly emerging social enterprises in South Korea.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper first introduces the process of South Korean social enterprises’ emergence as an independent phenomenon. The author explains the process with a link to governmental actions, such as the introduction of public programs and government acts. Second, this paper introduces the concept of developmental state which captures the proactive role of the state in social, economic and political development in South Korea. Third, this paper applies the institutional framework proposed by Kerlin (2013) to see how the South Korean social enterprise model can be located from a comparative perspective and how the South Korean model can contribute to the expansion of the existing framework.
Findings
This paper finds that the state involvement in South Korea is a reflection of the historical path of the developmental state. The cross-comparison of South Korean social enterprises from a historical institutionalist approach finds that the South Korean case may contribute to the ongoing scholarly debate by suggesting taking a Weberian ideal type of an interventionist state into account for an extension of the proposed framework. This paper also uncovered the strategic approach of the South Korean Government in utilizing this public policy tool by adopting and combining existing social enterprise models.
Research limitations/implications
This paper demonstrates the state’s intents to mobilize economic and societal resources as public policy intervention tools, which can be understood from a developmental state context. This role would be distinct when compared to those in Europe and the USA. This paper has a limitation to restrict its analytical scope to formally recognized social enterprises because it focuses on the role of the state in utilizing social enterprises for public policy agenda: social development and social welfare provision.
Practical implications
As a practical implication, this study might provide an insightful framework for South Korean public policy makers, outlining the contributions and limitations of state-led public policies associated with social enterprises. As seen in the historical path of governmental interventions, governmental public policies do not necessarily guarantee their sustainable community impacts without the consideration of private or nonprofit actors’ spontaneous involvements. The flip side of state-led interventions requires policy makers to become more cautious, as they address social problems with public policy intents.
Originality/value
The majority of current studies on social enterprises in South Korea mainly focus on reporting the quantitative increase in the number of registered social enterprises. Beyond this quantitative description of its achievement, this paper also provides a historical narration and philosophical background of this phenomenon. Additionally, it shows how this artificial government intervention in social enterprises could be accepted from a historical perspective and brought remarkable responses from the private and civil society sectors in South Korea.
Details
Keywords
Guenther G. Kress, Randi L. Miller and Gus Koehler
The paper examines the State of California’s new international trade and investment strategy through the lens of strategic management. This examination, embedded in a discussion…
Abstract
The paper examines the State of California’s new international trade and investment strategy through the lens of strategic management. This examination, embedded in a discussion of the history of the state's involvement, focuses on critical issues influencing strategy formulation and implementation. Findings indicate conceptual strategy design issues, political constraints, budgetary limitations, and organizational and managerial deficiencies contributing to a limited state engagement in international trade and investment with emphasis on leveraging existing resources rather than providing primary services. Unless California finds ways to deal with these issues, desired outcomes such as increased exports and investments will be lacking. Several lessons are offered to inform future state government efforts aimed at promoting international trade and investment.
Chamindi Malalgoda, Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haigh
The purpose of this paper is to explore the role and challenges for Sri Lankan local governments in creating a disaster resilient built environment within urban Sri Lankan cities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the role and challenges for Sri Lankan local governments in creating a disaster resilient built environment within urban Sri Lankan cities.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a literature review and a case study conducted in the Batticaloa city of Sri Lanka, supported by expert interviews among local and other government officials, policy makers, practitioners and academics who are engaged in disaster management and urban planning within the country.
Findings
The literature and empirical data reveal that local governments are facing a number of challenges in contributing to making cities resilient to disasters. Some of the issues that have emerged are inadequate financial and human resource capabilities; a lack of knowledge of disaster risks and vulnerabilities; the need for long‐term political commitment; a lack of focus on pre‐disaster planning; inadequate legislative authority; a lack of clear cut responsibilities and coordination among agencies; and a lack of involvement in major development activities, physical planning and regulation of land use. It is important to address these challenges faced by local governments in creating a disaster resilient built environment in a holistic manner to ensure effective disaster risk reduction within cities.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is based on partial findings of research which aims to explore and propose mechanisms to empower the Sri Lankan local governments to make cities more resilient to disasters, within the context of the built environment.
Originality/value
The paper identifies the weaknesses of the current institutional arrangements in place for creating a disaster resilient built environment in Sri Lanka and highlights the challenges faced by a local government in creating a disaster resilient built environment within a Sri Lankan city.
Details
Keywords
The primary purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how corporate responsibility and accountability could be fostered through monitoring and the involvement of governments in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The primary purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how corporate responsibility and accountability could be fostered through monitoring and the involvement of governments in the regulation of firms.
Design/methodology/approach
In considering why practices which stimulate incentives for private agents to exert corporate control should be encouraged, this paper highlights criticisms attributed to government control of banks. However, the theory relating to the “helping hand” view of government is advanced as having a fundamental role in the regulation and supervision of banks.
Findings
Governments have a vital role to play in corporate responsibility and regulation given the fact that banks are costly and difficult to monitor – this being principally attributed to the possibility that private agents will lack required incentives or the ability to supervise banks.
Research limitations/implications
Banks are costly and difficult to monitor – this being principally attributed to the possibility that private agents will lack required incentives or the ability to supervise banks.
Practical implications
The paper illustrates how structures which operate in various systems, namely, stock market economies and universal banking systems, function (and attempt) to address gaps which may arise as a result of lack of adequate mechanisms of accountability.
Social implications
The paper also draws attention to the impact of asymmetric information (generally and in these systems), on levels of monitoring procedures and how conflicts of interests which could arise between banks and their shareholders, or between governments and those firms being regulated by the regulator, could be addressed.
Originality/value
Through its supervision of banks, governments also assume an important role where matters related to the fostering of accountability are concerned – not only because banks may have the power to affect firm performance, but also because some private agents are not able to afford internal monitoring mechanisms.
Details
Keywords
Andrei Panibratov, Snejina Michailova and Marina Latukha
This chapter focuses on the influence of the home government on the internationalization of Russian multinational enterprises (MNEs). It views government involvement and political…
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the influence of the home government on the internationalization of Russian multinational enterprises (MNEs). It views government involvement and political connectedness as a form of informal connections and networks that seriously impact operations in general and internationalization, in particular in the case of Russian multinationals. Using the literature on MNEs from emerging markets and our familiarity with Russian business and political specificities, we develop a set of five propositions devoted to the subject. We further discuss the research and management implications of our analysis.
Details