Economics, Management and Sustainability

Regional split and local government spending efficiency in Indonesia

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0200

The research objectives are to (1) measure the efficiency of local governments in every province in Indonesia and (2) analyse the impact of regional splitting, GRDP per capita, population density, and fiscal capacity on the efficiency of local governments. This study employed per capita personnel spending, per capita spending on goods and services, and per capita capital spending. The output used in the dataset is the human development index. The first objective (local government efficiency) is measured by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), with VRS and an output-oriented model. DMUs are 34 provinces from 2013-to 2018. The second objective (the impact of regional splitting, GRDP per capita, population density, and fiscal capacity on efficiency) is measured by panel data regression with a random effect model. Results show that the always efficient provinces for 2013-2018 were Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Banten. The study revealed 29 inefficient provinces in 2013, and this number increased to 31 inefficient provinces in 2018. Another finding is that regional splitting, GRDP per capita, population density, and fiscal capacity significantly impact local governments' efficiency. As inefficient provinces need to improve their efficiency, this study recommends that local governments focus on these four independent variables to strengthen their efficiency.

Strengthening gender equality in small business and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs): Comparative analysis of Kenya and Nigeria

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0200

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs in Africa still see sustainable development goals as a misery. The study investigates whether sustainable development goal number five (5) is being used to motivate gender equality among small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa, particularly in Kenya and Nigeria. The study focuses on female entrepreneurs and female-owned businesses. Design/methodology/approach. A qualitative approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews was considered with a target population of 110 participants selected from businesses operating in Embakasi East constituency in the Embakasi ward in Nairobi County, Kenya, and in Ikeja Local Government in the Lagos Mainland of Lagos state Nigeria. The primary interview data was gathered from businesses in the manufacturing, services, information technology, transport, trading, and communications sectors. Findings. From the population of 110 participants, the response rate was 90.91%. Results demonstrated that a significant number of women working in SMEs are unaware of the sustainable development goal number five (5) in the two countries despite the United Nations (UN) supporting gender equality globally. The research concludes that there is still a considerable difference between men and women in small and medium-sized SMEs in Africa, and the awareness of sustainable development goals is limited. Research limitations/implications. The restriction of the dataset from a small sample size of women-owned businesses operating in Embakasi East constituency in the Embakasi ward in Nairobi County, Kenya, and in Ikeja Local Government in the Lagos State Nigeria. The research criteria used to choose study participants were unique to the current research; future researchers may consider changing the research criteria and sample size to broaden the study's focus. Practical implications. The study advances empirical research on sustainable development goal number five (5) by offering evidence of its impact on women-owned businesses. Further, the study throws light on the need to the fact that gender equality is necessary and why women should receive funding and mentoring to help them succeed as business owners. Originality/value. The study provides a comparative study with evidence from two countries, Kenya and Nigeria, on sustainable development goal number five (5) and throws light on the relevance of gender equality on business performance as funding and mentoring will assist women-owned businesses. For Africa to flourish and grow economically, gender equality is crucial.

Sustainability reporting: A systematic review

Emieseifa James Agama, Umaru Mustapha Zubairu — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0200

Sustainability reporting is measuring, disclosing, and being accountable to internal and external stakeholders for organizational performance toward sustainable development. Using the Systematic Quantitative Assessment Technique, this study reviewed 100 Sustainability Reporting (SR) articles published over the last decade. The intention is to provide insight into the various actions and progress made by the key participants and stakeholders regarding sustainable development and the quality and currency of sustainable reports from 2011 to 2020. Besides this primary objective, this review also sought to understand these SR articles' time distribution, geographic distribution, types, and data collection methods. A study of empirical evidence revealed that SR had attracted a lot more attention in recent years but what is not very clear is the level of commitment from the various stakeholders. The review also revealed the intertwining nature of the SR and sustainable development, which is further enhanced by adopting a robust accounting system. In this case, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the most acceptable, not without criticism. It is argued that the system does not give room for local realities that are often important in providing solutions to problems.

Access of micro, small and medium-sized firms to bank credit: A logistic regression on a sample of Moroccan companies

Mohamed Adaskou, Rachid El Bettioui — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0200

The present study aims to analyze the determinants of the supply and demand of micro, small and medium-sized firms MSMEs credit by making reference to the theories of financial structure. From a sample of 356 Moroccan MSMEs surveyed in 2013 (WBSE, 2013), we used a binary logit model to discuss both demand and supply. According to our results, size, industry, gender of ownership, financial inclusion, level of education and experience of the Manager and the financing needs of the company, are the main factors that influence demand, while the warranty has no impact. On the supply side, with the exception of experience, the manager's characteristics have no effect, while the size, type of ownership and the duration of the loan have a major impact.

Embrace green marketing or lose competitive advantage

Sinothando Tshuma — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0200

The rise of the green revolution has shaken many firms to decide on their dominance or face the wrath of natural extinction by failure to adapt to changes in the macro environment. Green marketing has recently gained acceptance in the commercial world to the level that firms that still embrace the old conventional marketing paradigm are rethinking their marketing strategies. Green marketing seeks to ensure that businesses do not harm the environment they operate in or harm the planet earth's living species. There has been a dynamic shift in the marketing mix elements as organisations thrive to satisfy the needs of a chameleon consumer. The research was informed by Ottman’s paradigm shift from conventional marketing to green marketing. The study sought to determine the impact of green marketing strategies on firm performance and the challenges faced by small to medium enterprises in their quest to adopt green marketing strategies. A quantitative research design was adopted with a sample size of 20 steel and aluminum foundry firms. The primary research findings were that firms are aware of green marketing strategies and their impact on firm performance, although they face challenges in implementing them. The paper's results will help various small to medium enterprises in the foundry industry to rethink, redesign and re-engage to achieve innovation and industrialisation in a green economy.