Hasil untuk "Commercial geography. Economic geography"

Jean-Marie Mbuya, Natanya Meyer, Vivence Kalitanyi

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the nexus between the critical success factors (CSFs) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the financial performance of SMEs operating in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR-Congo). To achieve this objective, a quantitative approach was employed, and the data were collected with a questionnaire consisting of closed questions, using a cluster sampling approach with only established SMEs being considered. In total, 464 fully completed questionnaires were retained for further analysis. The analysis was conducted with SPSS version 28. The findings from the regression analysis reveal a significant positive relationship between financial performance and market orientation, ICT adoption and management competency. The study was underpinned by resource-based view and contingency theories. From a theoretical viewpoint, the findings support the resource-based view by reinforcing the importance of a firm's internal capabilities, such as ICT, market orientation (customer and competitor) and management competency in achieving financial performance. From a practical viewpoint, the study has identified which CSFs should be prioritised to achieve high financial performance. As for contingency theory, the study demonstrates that financial performance is enhanced when strategies are tailored to local conditions. Practically speaking, the necessity of context-specific strategies rather than uniform approaches in different economic contexts is emphasised. These findings imply that all stakeholders involved in SME management should develop strategies to enhance ICT adoption, assist SMEs in improving their market orientation strategies and provide training to strengthen SMEs’ management competency, which can all further improve financial performance.

جواد فرهودی, حسین خلیلی شایان

آمار و اطلاعات جایگاه ویژه‌ای در شفافیت حکمرانی آب دارد. از طرف دیگر، شاهد بودن تناقضات در آمار و اطلاعات منابع آب، یکسان نبودن قرائت‌ها و روایت‌ها درمورد دارایی‌های آبی، به‌روز نبودن تجهیزات سخت‌افزاری و تا اندازه‌ای نرم‌افزازی در تهیه و ارائۀ اطلاعات منابع آب در مقایسه با پیشرفت‌های جهانی، بازنگری جدی در سامانه‌های داده‌برداری و داده‌پردازی منابع آب را الزام‌آور می‌سازد. در این راستا، روش‌های هوش مصنوعی، حسگرها و فناوری‌های سنجش از دور، در حسابداری دقیق منابع آب موردتوجه هستند. این مقاله مروری نظام‌مند از حدود صد مقالۀ بین‌المللی است که آخرین یافته‌های مرتبط با تجهیزات نرم‌افزاری و سخت‌افزاری پایش مؤلفه‌های چرخۀ هیدرولوژیکی را ارائه میدهد. این مؤلفه‌ها شامل بارندگی، عمق آب/ سطح آب/سرعت و دبی جریان رودخانه‌ها و پایش تراز سطح آب‌های زیرزمینی است. در هر مورد ضمن ارائۀ سرلیستی از مهم‌ترین فناوری‌ها، وضعیت کاربرد این فناوری‌ها در پایش منابع آب‌های سطحی و زیرزمینی کشور، ارزیابی شد. بررسی‌های انجام‌شده وضعیت نامطلوب کاربرد فناوری‌های نوین نرم‌افزاری و سخت‌افزاری در پایش مؤلفه‌های چرخۀ هیدرولوژیکی در کشور را اثبات می‌کند. برای نمونه، از مجموع 26 فناوری سخت‌افزاری و نرم‌افزاری شناخته‌شده مرتبط با برداشت‌های جریان‌های سطحی، تنها دو فناوری به‌طور گسترده در کشور استفاده‌ شده؛ چهار فناوری به مرز دانش و تولید گسترده توسط شرکت‌های دانش‌بنیان داخلی رسیده و همچنان رسیدن به مرز دانش یازده فناوری در کشور رخ نداده است. طی این مقاله پیشنهادهایی جهت ترسیم مسیر توسعۀ فناوری‌های سخت‌افزاری و نرم‌افزاری نوین جهت برداشت داده‌های چرخه‌های آبی و تحول در نوسازی زیرساخت‌های داده‌برداری و داده‌پردازی منابع آب کشور، ارائه شد.

TOMESCU-DUMITRESCU CORNELIA, DINUCĂ NICOLAIE-CĂTĂLIN, DINUCĂ ELENA-CLAUDIA

The way we work has changed enormously over the past 10 years and, of necessity, HR management has changed with it. Gone are the days when HR was largely an administrative, paper-printing department that served as the gatekeeper for job applications and benefits enrollment. Human resource management has evolved in a way that is fundamental to any successful business, one that uses resources and sophisticated technology to help companies operate more efficiently and strategically. Change has been rapid, and it can be easy to see the catalysts for this HR revolution and the resulting positive impact on businesses and employees.

ȘTELIAC NELA

The growing collaborative economy supports sustainable economic development and the circular economy. It aims to reduce over-consumption of resources and ensure efficient use of idle resources. The collaborative economy has emerged strongly in the tourism sector through shared tourism services, pioneered by Airbnb. This paper focuses on the analysis of inter-regional disparities of the collaborative economy in Romanian tourism. To this end, Gini concentration curves have been plotted and Gini concentration indices have been calculated for the three hierarchical levels of territorial units: NUTS1, NUTS2, NUTS3. The indicators analyzed were the number of stays for total tourists and the number of overnight stays for total tourists. As expected, the results showed a higher degree of concentration at NUTS3 level (higher disparity) and a lower degree of concentration at NUTS1 level (lower disparity). As a result of these calculations, the main regional poles were identified for NUTS1 level (macro-regions One and Four) and for NUTS2 level (Centre and South-West Oltenia regions). Surprisingly, the Bucharest-Ilfov region, the most economically developed region in Romania, failed to outperform the other regions over the whole period analyzed. The overall trend of inter-regional disparities was downward.

CHIȚOIU LOREDANA-ANDREEA

The tax system serves as a crucial tool for achieving fiscal policy objectives efficiently, with minimal impact on the economy's functioning. Its primary role extends beyond merely funding government expenditures to include income redistribution and economic stabilization, fostering an environment conducive to sustained economic growth. The progress of nations on economic, social, political, and cultural fronts hinges significantly on governments' adeptness in revenue collection and maintaining fiscal system stability. This research delves into the intricate interplay between fiscal and social policies and their influence on the economies of emerging and developed nations within the Central and Eastern European Union member states during the period 2005-2020. Employing the autoregressive regression model (VAR), the study aims to unearth the impulse-response functions triggered by fiscal variables on the gross domestic product (GDP). By scrutinizing historical data, the research endeavors to offer forecasts concerning the economy's responses to shocks induced by both direct and indirect taxes, as well as social security contributions. The findings reveal nuanced insights. Indirect taxes exhibit minimal and statistically insignificant impact on the GDP. Conversely, direct taxes and mandatory social contributions demonstrate a substantial and adverse effect on the gross domestic product, signaling a noteworthy impact on the overall economy. This research contributes valuable perspectives on the intricate dynamics between fiscal policies and economic outcomes, shedding light on the need for strategic and calibrated approaches to taxation for sustained economic development and social welfare in the Central and Eastern European Union member states.

Muzaffar Asad, Muhammad Uzair Asif, Mohammed Ali Bait Ali Sulaiman et al.

Abstract Drawing upon the theoretical foundations of the resource-based view, the current research aims to examine the mediating role of open innovation between entrepreneurial orientation, total quality management, and SMEs performance. Open innovation is not new, but SMEs operating in the developing economies are unaware of it importance and need. A structural equation model was used in the study to evaluate the relationships between the data collected from 270 SMEs with the help of adopted questionnaires. The results confirmed the impact of entrepreneurial along with total quality management on open innovation as well as the performance of SMEs. Second, the indirect impact of entrepreneurial orientation along with total quality management via open innovation has also been established which is proven as significant. Owners and managers of SMEs should consider customer-driven practices in an entrepreneurial manner to achieve elevated levels of performance based on the study’s findings.

Mkateko Vivian Mabunda, Ricky Munyaradzi Mukonza, Lufuno Robert Mudzanani

Abstract South Africa is at present experiencing electricity shortages resulting in loadshedding. Loadshedding is the action from an electricity supplier (Eskom) of rolling power cuts that intend to lessen the load on the power supply system when Eskom is not able to supply a high electricity demand. Loadshedding remains one of the country's most critical challenges and has affected day-to-day business activities leading to some small businesses closing their operations. In developing economies, small businesses play a significant role in the wellbeing of rural dwellers and are a major tool for local economic development. At present, there is limited evidence in the literature pointing out the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Collins Chabane Local Municipality (CCLM) in terms of the effects of loadshedding but there is literature describing similar issues in other geographical areas. The exploration of the effects of loadshedding on SMEs in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality was crucial to empower small SMEs, cover scholarly gaps, contribute to policy development, and participate in academic discourse. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, adopting a triangulation research design. The sample consisted of 125 members of the target population, which included the SME owners/managers and officials from the Collins Chabane Local Municipality such as the Local Economic Development (LED) manager, Electricity manager, and a technician. The sample was selected using purposive, snowball non-probability sampling, and cluster probability sampling. A total of 100 respondents were selected for the quantitative study, while 25 participants were selected for the qualitative study. Therefore, 100 respondents completed questionnaires and 25 respondents participated in the face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analysed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative data were analysed using the thematic method of analysis. According to the quantitative findings, loadshedding costs small and medium-sized businesses in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality an average of 61% of their total revenue. Additionally, 59% of these companies had to lay off their employees because they were unable to pay their wages. The Chi-square results demonstrate that loadshedding has been experienced uniformly by everyone, irrespective of their demographic and business demographic status. Therefore, demographics have no significant influence on the experience of loadshedding. The qualitative results reveal that the losses associated with the effects of loadshedding on SMEs’ production are untenable. There is an urgent need to alleviate the effects of loadshedding on SMEs. An alternative source of power is a requirement for small businesses in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality. It is for this reason that the South African government should grant small businesses a subsidy for the purchase of alternative sources of energy such as strong generators and solar panels to support them during periods of loadshedding. In addition, the South African government should encourage and capacitate small businesses in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality to participate in producing and supplying renewable energy by funding them, and further, foster cooperation among small businesses and companies that are successful in the production of renewable energy. This will assist in adding electricity generation capacity to the national grid and help eliminate electricity instability.

David Newhouse

Rebuilding Indigenous economies is a long, complex, and arduous set of tasks. It involves the creation of new institutions that can harness Indigenous innovation and creativity and channel Indigenous ideas and values into actions that improve the quality of Indigenous lives, enabling us to participate effectively in the world we find ourselves in. Treaties were one such institution.

Antonio Ruz-Carmona, Manuel Parras Rosa, Sergio Colombo

Juan M. Dempere, Alexandrina M. Pauceanu

Abstract This article aims to analyze the explanatory power of the constituent components of the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom over the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute’s Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. We analyze a sample of 118 countries with available historic data from 2014–2019. We evaluate the impact of the business, labor, monetary, trade, investment, and financial freedom indexes over the Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using generalized linear models and weighted least squares models. We also analyzed our panel data using panel-corrected standard error models. We find a significant and positive relationship between the Global Entrepreneurship Index and the business and financial freedom indexes. We also find a significant and positive relationship between the business and financial freedom indexes and the entrepreneurial attitudes, abilities, and aspirations sub-indexes. The limitations of our study include the diversity of national entrepreneurial ecosystems and the difficulty of measuring them with a few quantitative variables. Additionally, our results are heavily influenced by the selection of countries in our sample. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous research article has studied the explanatory power of the Index of Economic Freedom’s constituent components over the Global Entrepreneurship Index and its sub-indexes. Similarly, our sample of 118 countries with data from 2014–2019 makes our study the most comprehensive global analysis about the relationship between economic freedom and entrepreneurship so far.

Lamessa T. Abdisa, Alemu L. Hawitibo

Abstract The business environment in which a firm operates has an important impact on firm performance. This study examined the impact of credit constraint and power outages on the firm’s investment decision using World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data collected from firms operating in 13 sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. The study employed a two-part model and the Heckman selection model to estimate the impact of lack of access to finance and poor power supply on a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. The result obtained suggest that there is a negative correlation between credit constraint and a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation. This indicates that credit constraint negatively affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation and firms that are credit constrained have less incentive to invest in self-generation compared to those that are not credit constrained. To test the robustness of the result obtained, alternative definitions of credit constraints were used. Results from alternative regressions using different definitions of credit constraints show that credit constraint affects a firm’s decision to invest in self-generation but not the volume of investment.

Moamed Miloud KASMI, Fteh DJARI

هدف هذه الورقة البحثية لتبيان مستوى التنويع الإقتصادي في الجزائر في ظل أزمة إنهيار أسعار البترول، حيث سيتم حساب التنويع الإقتصادي على مستوى الناتج المحلي الإجمالي وفق مؤشر هرفندال- هرشمان، وتبين من النتائج أن نسب التنويع الإقتصادي السائد في الجزائر وللفترة 2010-2019 هو مرهون بالتغيرات الحاصلة في أسعار البترول، حيث يأخذ مؤشر هرفندال-هرشمان نسب عالية بالموازاة مع إرتفاع أسعار البترول وهذا قبل أزمة منتصف 2014 أما بعدها وعلى إمتداد فترة التحليل شهد هذا المؤشر نسب لم تقل عن 0.20 وهذا راجع لسببين أولهما هو تراجع مساهمة قطاع المحروقات وثانيهما إلى ضعف مساهمة القطاعات الأخرى خاصة قطاعي الصناعة والفلاحة. This paper aims to show the level of economic diversification in Algeria in the light of the oil price collapse, where economic diversification will be calculated at the level of GDP according to the Hervendal-Hirschmann index, and the results of this study show that the ratios of economic diversification prevailing in Algeria and for the period 2010-2 019 is subject to changes in oil prices, where the Hervendal-Hirschmann index takes high proportions in parallel with the rise in oil prices and this is before the crisis of mid-2014, after that and then throughout the period of analysis saw ratios not less than 0.20 and this The first is due to the decline in the contribution of the hydrocarbon sector and the second to the weak contribution of other sectors, particularly industry and agriculture.

DOREL DUMITRU CHIRIȚESCU

As the name suggests, the concept takes us to an interesting area of debate about morale in economics and money management. The problem is whether there are limits in trading money and what are those limits, especially given that the money in banks is not actually the money of the banks, but of their customers. The behavior of the banks should therefore be extremely prudent, restricted by the fact that the banks are a mere intermediary, administrator of other people’s money. In conditions of greedy, shallow and risky behavior, then when financial crises occur, banks are always saved, and their customers are always the ones who pay the damages. It is a simple mechanism for not taking responsibility and avoiding the division of damages. In other words, when the sun is out, that is to say, the economy is doing well and offering profits, we are all happy, and when the bad weather comes, the sadness is only on the faces of some, more precisely on the faces of the innocent ones.

Asma Piri, Siavash Gholipoor, Nader Amiri

The present study attempts to investigate the right to the city in Sadeghiyeh town. The theoretical framework for the research is based on Henry Lefebvre's views. Qualitative research methods and techniques are used for data collection, observation, interviewing and document review. The results show: 1: Urban spaces (educational and cultural space, green space, sports space, consumption space and transportation system) in the town are either absent or inadequate. Neighboring towns are also under siege and Sadeghieh residents are unable to use them, so they are deprived of the right to own the city, 2: Town residents are not involved in the construction of public spaces and community activities in the town, and community life, shared memories, and feelings of belonging to the town are not formed. So they have no right to participate, 3. The reasons for disrespecting the city are due to the migration of the villagers to the city in the 40s and 80s (the Persian year) and their exclusion in the daily life. Trends that tore the city apart make them financially disadvantaged groups that were unable to enjoy urban amenities, and on the other hand, such groups live in Sadeghieh Town were pushed to the edge of the city and denied the right to the city.

Caroline King-Okumu, Hamed Daly-Hassen, Mohamed Annabi

Climate change exacerbates the effects of water scarcity on livelihoods. Governments can intervene by structuring incentives for agricultural adaptations so that farmers can choose the ones that create more benefits for the society as a whole. This requires consideration of a range of different benefits to different groups within the social cost-benefit analysis (CBA). We assess the social and private profitability of two alternative tree-based adaptation techniques that have received state support in the traditional barley cropping/rangeland systems in Central Tunisia: olive tree plantation, and intercropping with cactus. The results showed that society does not benefit from offering incentives for olive production. The production of irrigated olive trees without incentives is profitable for farmers and for society, while rainfed plantation is not profitable at all. However, it is possible for farmers to increase their incomes without increasing agricultural water use if they are encouraged to adopt intercropping with cactus to supplement livestock food and watering. The findings highlight scope for policies to balance between returns both for society, and for farmers, as revealed through the application of quantitative social CBA.

ARIANA TAL

Innovation can take a lot of forms in firms. Large companies are more willing to innovate due to a higher potential than SMEs. In social media, SMEs have equal chances to make a difference. In this paper I aim to present a social media overview, emphasizing the benefits and characteristics of these platforms and the way they can represent a huge innovation for SMEs and in the second part to discuss the case of Romania in relation with social media from the perspective of innovation.

MARIANA ZAMFIR

The financing plan is a predictive financial situation that allows the study and analysis of the effects of medium and long term projects on the treasury situation. The preparation of the financing plan is preceded by a procedure for selecting a cost-effective investment project from several possible projects. Understanding the concept of a financing plan is the first issue to be addressed. Then it is analyzed its structure outlining the main categories of resources and uses that need to be highlighted for the preparation of the financing plan; the steps necessary for its development are described, the research ending with the presentation of a case study on the preparation of a financing plan for a company. The research results can be used by any investor to analyze the impact of the investments he wishes to make on the company’s treasury and to decide on the sources of their funding.

ECOBICI NICOLAE , DINA IONELA-CLAUDIA , BUȘAN GABRIELA

Decision-making takes place at all levels of the organization, taking into account both short-term outlook and long-term perspective. Plans are implemented by decisions whose purpose is materialized by formulating rational conclusions obtained as a result of financial and quantitative analysis. Thus, managerial accounting practice is deeply involved in decision making, a basic requirement of the existence of a solid managerial accounting information system cost, able to provide fundamental data.

BUSUIOCEANU STELIANA

The accounting information is reliable when it does not contain significant errors, is not biasedand accurately represents the transactions and events. In the light of the regulations complying with Europeandirectives, the information is significant if its omission or wrong presentation may influence the decisions users makebased on annual financial statements. Given that the professional practice sees errors in registering or interpretinginformation, as well as omissions and wrong calculations, the Romanian accounting regulations stipulate treatmentsfor correcting errors in compliance with international references. Thus, the correction of the errors corresponding tothe current period is accomplished based on the retained earnings in the case of significant errors or on the currentearnings when the errors are insignificant. The different situations in the professional practice triggered by errorsrequire both knowledge of regulations and professional rationale to be addressed.

Warren Weir, Wanda Wuttunee