Public procurement presents substantial market opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which can contribute to their economic growth. However, limited…
Abstract
Purpose
Public procurement presents substantial market opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which can contribute to their economic growth. However, limited dynamic capabilities often pose challenges for SMEs to participate effectively in public procurement markets. Drawing on dynamic capability (DC) theory, this study explores whether financial capability (FNCP) influences SMEs’ ability to leverage their technological capability (TECC) and marketing sensing capability (MKSC) and actively engage in public procurement.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for this study were collected from 248 SME managers in the Ilala District, Tanzania, using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey and stratified random sampling technique. The proposed hypotheses were tested empirically through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the Hayes PROCESS macro.
Findings
TECC and MKSC demonstrated significant positive associations with SME participation in public procurement (SMPP). Moreover, the interaction between TECC and FNCP as well as the interaction between MKSC and FNCP demonstrate a significant positive effect, suggesting that FNCP strengthens the impact of TECC and MKSC on SMPP.
Research limitations/implications
The scope of this study was limited to SMEs in the Ilala District of Tanzania, hence affecting the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. More importantly, the study findings enrich the understanding of DC theory, signifying that the integration and reconfiguration of MKSC, TECC and FNCP add significant value to SMPP.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that policymakers, support institutions and SME managers should focus on enhancing SMEs' MKSC and TECC to improve their participation in public procurement. In addition, improving SMEs' access to financial resources can further strengthen these effects, enabling more inclusive participation in public procurement.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature on SMPP by highlighting the critical roles of MKSC and TECC. It also underscores the importance of FNCP as a moderator in these relationships, which has not been addressed in the existing literature. By integrating these factors, the study offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the dynamics that influence SMPP from financial, technological and marketing perspectives, particularly in developing economies like Tanzania.
Details
Keywords
Monsurat Ayojimi Salami and Razali Haron
The purpose of this paper is to examine the pricing efficiency of the Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) market before and after the structural break. This study uses the daily…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the pricing efficiency of the Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) market before and after the structural break. This study uses the daily closing price of CPO and CPO futures (CPO-F) for the period ranging from June 2009 to August 2016 while taking structural breaks into account.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, symmetric and asymmetric long-run relationship model are employed, such as the Johansen cointegration, VECM, TAR and M-TAR models, to examine the impact of structural breaks on the pricing efficiency of the Malaysian CPO market.
Findings
This finding establish that Malaysian CPO price is efficient before and after the structural break. The consistent efficiency of the Malaysian CPO market supports the trading of the CPO-F in Globex and the use of Malaysian CPO pricing as the reference price. This study establishes that a structural break in the Malaysian CPO price series does not affect the pricing efficiency of the market.
Research limitations/implications
This study shows that using Malaysian CPO price as a reference price is sustainable even in the event of a structural break. Therefore, market participants in the Malaysian CPO market have less to worry about the CPO price as it supports the weak form of efficiency. Price deviation in the short run may not lead to arbitrage profit as transaction cost may not be covered.
Practical implications
This study implies that if there is distortion in the price due to shocks, both manufacturers and producers need to hedge their positions in the futures market (subject to their positions in the underlying market). By entering into the futures market, pricing is locked in advance; hence, price risk is eliminated. Such a distortion could also affect the efficiency of the CPO price, therefore this study also addresses the issue of efficiency of the local CPO market.
Originality/value
Previous studies on Malaysian CPO pricing efficiency did not take the effect of structural break into consideration, making it difficult for these studies to show consistency in the efficiency of the Malaysian CPO market.
Details
Keywords
Ke Zhang, Almudena González del Valle-Brena, Ignacio Ramos Riera and Jingli Zhao
The study aims to understand how cultural route heritage is conceptualized and managed in China by systematically reviewing the research literature on Chinese cultural route…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to understand how cultural route heritage is conceptualized and managed in China by systematically reviewing the research literature on Chinese cultural route heritage (CRH). The study intends to inspire further discussion on the theoretical and practical development of cultural routes since the development is still at a liminal stage in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 253 research articles related to Chinese cultural rote heritage from major Chinese and English research databases China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus have been comprehensively identified and reviewed for the purpose of the study.
Findings
Four major themes of research on Chinese CRH have been identified: conceptual evaluation, list of the routes and characteristics of the routes, conservation and utilization. The results revealed that China has very rich resources in CRH, many of which were formed a long time ago, which exist across vast geographic regions and have assumed multiple functions and undergone dynamic reciprocal exchanges among diverse cultures and ethnicities.
Practical implications
The paper summarizes some major obstacles faced by CRH in China and proposes a strategic model to address the need for a more sustainable development of CRH in the Chinese context.
Originality/value
The paper offers a comprehensive overview of CRH in China and discusses practical issues in management and development of heritage great in size, number and complexity.
Details
Keywords
Weihua Liu, Yanjie Liang, Xiaoran Shi, Peiyuan Gao and Li Zhou
The review aims to facilitate a broader understanding of platform opening and cooperation and points out potential research directions for scholars.
Abstract
Purpose
The review aims to facilitate a broader understanding of platform opening and cooperation and points out potential research directions for scholars.
Design/methodology/approach
This study searches Web of Science (WOS) database for relevant literature published between 2010 and 2021 and selects 86 papers for this review. The selected literature is categorized according to three dimensions: the strategic choice of platform opening and cooperation (before opening), the construction of an open platform (during opening) and the impact of platform opening and cooperation (after opening). Through comparative analysis, the authors identify research gaps and propose four future research agendas.
Findings
The study finds that the current studies are fragmented, and a research system with a theoretical foundation has not yet formed. In addition, with the development of platform operations, new topics such as platform ecosystems and open platform governance have emerged. In short, there is an urgent need for scholars to conduct exploratory research. To this end, the study proposes four future research agendas: strengthen basic research on platform opening and cooperation, deeply explore the dynamic evolution and cutting-edge models of platform opening and cooperation, analyze potential crises and impacts of platform openness and strengthen research on open platform governance.
Originality/value
This is the first systematic review on platform opening and cooperation. Through categorizing literature into three dimensions, this article clearly shows the research status and provides future research avenues.
Details
Keywords
Elena Carvajal-Trujillo, Jesús Claudio Pérez-Gálvez and Jaime Jose Orts-Cardador
The main objective of this article is to visualize the structure and trends of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) between 1999 and 2023 through mapping and in-depth analysis. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The main objective of this article is to visualize the structure and trends of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) between 1999 and 2023 through mapping and in-depth analysis. The aim is to analyze PEB, which has received considerable academic attention in recent years due to its key role in the conservation of the environment and the protection of local communities in tourist destinations. This paper provides an important summary of the recent research that has explored the role that tourists have in protecting the environment through PEB.
Design/methodology/approach
This study presents a visual analysis of 2005 scholarly articles between the years 1999 and 2023 related to PEB. Using the knowledge mapping based on VOSviewer it presents the current status of research, which includes the analysis of citation analysis, co-citation analysis, co-citation network and longitudinal analysis.
Findings
PEB is an emerging topic due to its relevance to protecting the environment in the context of travel. The citation and co-citation analysis show the relevance of the behavior of tourists with regard to protecting the environment. The co-word analysis highlights the current significance of research concerning green hotels and the destination image of environmentally responsible destinations.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on the current research progress of PEB in the context of tourism through a comprehensive analysis (citation, co-citation and co-word). In addition, we provide theories and factors that have been previously used to study PEB in the context of tourism. The findings contribute to a broad and diverse understanding of the concept of PEB, which can provide important insights for policymakers in formulating management strategies and policies aimed at reducing environmental impacts in destinations.
Details
Keywords
Tao Wang, Shaoliang Wu, Hengqiong Jia, Shanqing Peng, Haiyan Li, Piyan Shao, Zhao Wei and Yi Shi
During the construction process of the China Railway Track System (CRTS) I type filling layer, the nonwoven fabric bags have been used as grouting templates for cement asphalt…
Abstract
Purpose
During the construction process of the China Railway Track System (CRTS) I type filling layer, the nonwoven fabric bags have been used as grouting templates for cement asphalt (CA) emulsified mortar. The porous structure of nonwoven fabrics endowed the templates with breathability and water permeability. The standard requires that the volume expansion rate of CA mortar must be controlled within 1%–3%, which can generate expansion pressure to ensure that the cavities under track slabs are filled fully. However, the expansion pressure caused some of the water to seep out from the periphery of the filling bag, and it would affect the actual mix proportion of CA mortar. The differences in physical and mechanical properties between the CA mortar under track slabs and the CA mortar formed in the laboratory were studied in this paper. The relevant results could provide important methods for the research of filling layer materials for CRTS I type and other types of ballastless tracks in China.
Design/methodology/approach
During the inspection of filling layer, the samples of CA mortar from different working conditions and raw materials were taken by uncovering the track slabs and drilling cores. The physical and mechanical properties of CA mortar under the filling layer of the slab were systematically analyzed by testing the electrical flux, compressive strength and density of mortar in different parts of the filling layer.
Findings
In this paper, the electric flux, the physical properties and mechanical properties of different parts of CA mortar under the track slab were investigated. The results showed that the density, electric flux and compressive strength of CA mortar were affected by the composition of raw materials for dry powders and different parts of the filling layer. In addition, the electrical flux of CA mortar gradually decreased within 90 days’ age. The electrical flux of samples with the thickness of 54 mm was lower than 500 C. Therefore, the impermeability and durability of CA mortar could be improved by increasing the thickness of filling layer. Besides, the results showed that the compressive strength of CA mortar increased, while the density and electric flux decreased gradually, with the prolongation of hardening time.
Originality/value
During 90 days' age, the electrical flux of the CA mortar gradually decreased with the increase of specimen thickness and the electrical flux of the specimens with the thickness of 54 mm was lower than 500 C. The impermeability and durability of the CA mortar could be improved by increasing the thickness of filling layer. The proposed method can provide reference for the further development and improvement of CRTS I and CRTS II type ballastless track in China.
Details
Keywords
Xuemei Li, Shiwei Zhou, Kedong Yin and Huichao Liu
The purpose of this paper is to measure the high-quality development level of China's marine economy and analyze corresponding spatial and temporal distribution characteristic.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the high-quality development level of China's marine economy and analyze corresponding spatial and temporal distribution characteristic.
Design/methodology/approach
Design and optimize the index system of high-quality development level of marine economy and use entropy and TOPSIS method for comprehensive evaluation.
Findings
The research finds that from 2017 to 2019, the high-quality development tendency of China's marine economy is on the rise, but the overall level is still low. The level of each subsystem has different distribution characteristics in different provinces and cities. Guangdong, Shandong and Shanghai have a high comprehensive level. According to the comprehensive level of high-quality development of marine economy, 11 coastal provinces are divided into three types: leading, general and backward.
Research limitations/implications
This paper clarifies the temporal and spatial distribution law of high-quality development level of China's marine economy, providing basis for promoting comprehensive and coordinated improvement of coastal provinces and cities.
Originality/value
An indicator system for the high-quality development level of the marine economy has been established, including social development guarantee, marine economic foundation, marine science and technology drive and green marine sustainability.
Details
Keywords
This empirical survey is conducted to investigate the prevalence rate of academic dishonesty (AD) in examinations and assignments among undergraduates. The study compared the…
Abstract
Purpose
This empirical survey is conducted to investigate the prevalence rate of academic dishonesty (AD) in examinations and assignments among undergraduates. The study compared the difference in admitted behaviours of academic dishonesty between male and female students comprising second-year, third-year and fourth-year students from the discipline of business, engineering, information technology (IT) and education.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional study was utilized in this study and collected data via the online questionnaire. A total of 1,624 respondents participated from four public universities of four provinces in China Mainland.
Findings
The findings showed that the proportion of respondents from China participating in AD is between 15.4 and 51.7%. The findings showed that more than two-thirds of the respondents stated involved dishonesty in examinations and assignments at least once during the previous academic year. In addition, male and female undergraduates in second-year, third-year and fourth-year showed statistically significant differences in dishonest behaviours. Specifically, the male/senior students were more involved in dishonest behaviours than the females/sophomores.
Originality/value
Unlike previous studies, this study found that discipline in the Chinese context was not a significant demographic predictor of dishonesty. Although not significantly different, the respondents majoring in business reported a high engagement rate of dishonesty, followed by engineering and information technology undergraduates, but education undergraduates revealed the lowest engagement rate of dishonesty. The target integrity education should be imparted among male and senior students.
Details
Keywords
Omar Hassan Ali Nada and Zsuzsanna Győri
The aim of this study is to evaluate the adoption and quality of integrated reports in the European Union (EU).
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to evaluate the adoption and quality of integrated reports in the European Union (EU).
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of 147 listed firms from the 18 EU countries during 2013–2020. This study creates a disclosure index – based on the balanced scorecard (BSC) that reflects the information content of integrated reports. The content analysis method is used to measure the integrated reporting quality (IRQ).
Findings
The findings demonstrate that the IRQ increased across the study’s time frame, going from 49.3% in 2013 to 77% in 2020. Furthermore, financial disclosures still get the most attention in the integrated reporting (IR), followed by learning and growth perspective disclosures. In addition, businesses in the financial and industrial sectors rely more on integrated reports. However, the utility sector has the highest IRQ score. By country, Spain has the highest rate of IR adoption, followed by France. Other countries, such as Austria and Hungary, have only implemented IR by one company each.
Research limitations/implications
This study adds to the IR literature a new approach to measure IRQ by linking BSC with the IR framework. Empirically, businesses of any size can use this method to assess the degree of balance between the revealed financial and nonfinancial information in their reports.
Practical implications
Empirically, this study helps IR practitioners in determining how widely IR is used in Europe and in updating the database on the IR website. It helps them update and improve the IR framework by identifying the elements that have the least transparency and quality, investigating the causes and enhancing them.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the IRQ in EU countries by linking the BSC with IR elements. This is to split the elements into their own pillars, making it easier to track disclosure and evaluate the corporations’ interest in revealing these perspectives, on their own and collectively.