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1 – 10 of 22Štefan Bojnec and Nastja Tomšič
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between economic performance in terms of labour productivity of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between economic performance in terms of labour productivity of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their corporate sustainability in association with the driving forces of internationalization process and enterprise networks.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper develops an innovative theoretical–conceptual approach and applied unique empirical survey to investigate the simultaneous causalities between labour productivity and corporate sustainability, in the context of the set of relationships controlled with two other set of variables for mediating role of the internationalization process and enterprise networks focusing on business collaborations between SMEs. Four hypotheses are tested by the developed structural equation model for the unique in-depth survey data of Slovenian SMEs.
Findings
The results highlight significant positive correlations between the studied variables and their constructs, which indicate scientific justification to variables as factors. The results confirmed that internationalization process and enterprise networks are positively associated in improving corporate sustainability, which drives labour productivity.
Practical implications
The implications of this research are for managers regarding strategies and approaches aiming at sustainable development of SMEs, and for policy-makers regarding appropriate policies for practices encouraging internalization processes and enterprise networks as important drivers of corporate sustainability and labour productivity of SMEs.
Originality/value
The main scientific value added of this research is that combines and empirically examines driving forces of corporate sustainability in SMEs based on related studies, to develop more comprehensive structural equation model for better understanding of the corporate sustainability behaviour in SMEs.
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This article aims to investigate the financial constraints and nonlinearity of farm size growth.
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to investigate the financial constraints and nonlinearity of farm size growth.
Design/methodology/approach
Farm size growth is measured with land, labor and output using data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) for Hungary and Slovenia. A dynamic panel model is applied to assess financial constraints and nonlinearity of farm size growth.
Findings
Results show that, except for land in Slovenia and output in Hungary, liquidity constraints are less important for farm size growth than endogenous factors based on farm size growth expectations and steady farm size restructuring. Smaller farms are growing faster than larger ones. The hypothesis that a higher level of subsidies would increase farm size is not supported for Hungary. When farms reach a certain size, the land area of the largest farms increases. Farm debts in Hungary are linked with land growth and in Slovenia with output growth.
Research limitations/implications
Further research on the impact of liquidity constraints and subsidies can be conducted at a disaggregate farm-type level to examine whether there is variability in the underlying interlinkages at the farm-type specialization level.
Practical implications
The implication that farm size growth is dependent on initial size and that smaller farms are growing faster than bigger ones indicates that it is not necessary to favor the fastest growing smaller farms thus supports the application of a non-discriminatory farm size policy for observing farm size structural changes.
Originality/value
The dynamic panel econometric model that incorporates cash flow as a measure of financial constraints provides insight into farm size growth in cross-country comparison in relation to potential farm liquidity constraints, farm debt and the nonlinearity of farm size, which information is of relevance to policy makers and practitioners.
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Milja Marčeta and Štefan Bojnec
This study aims to establish the position of the European Union (EU-28) countries in the dynamics of international trade openness linkages and the Global Competitiveness Index…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to establish the position of the European Union (EU-28) countries in the dynamics of international trade openness linkages and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) in correlation with the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, research and development (R&D) expenditures, innovation capability and information and communication technology (ICT) adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
In the panel data set, comparative analyses were applied to scatter diagrams, correlation and regression analyses and structural equation models using Eurostat and World Economic Forum (WEF) data for the EU-28 countries in the period 2008–2019.
Findings
The empirical results did not confirm the hypotheses that a positive correlation exists between GCI and trade openness indicators and between GDP per capita and GCI. The ICT adoption and innovation capability increase GCI, which affects GDP per capita.
Practical implications
The empirical results provide a better understanding of the importance of trade policies, particularly in terms of trade openness and trade shares of the EU-28 countries, as it could contribute to increasing the GCI of the EU-28 countries. Furthermore, the results of this study underline the importance of ICT adoption and innovation capability and the need for appropriate government policies that improve global competitiveness.
Originality/value
This study, through empirical analysis, demonstrates the existence of correlations between trade openness (exports as % of GDP, imports as % of GDP and export market shares as % of world trade), R&D expenditures, innovation capability, ICT adoption, GDP per capita and the GCI in the EU-28 countries. In addition, this study contributes managerial and policy-based implications on driving forces of global competitiveness.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern, duration and country-level determinants of global agri-food export competitiveness of 23 major global agri-food trading…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern, duration and country-level determinants of global agri-food export competitiveness of 23 major global agri-food trading countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A large panel data set is compiled to facilitate assessment of the pattern, duration and country-level determinants of global agri-food export competitiveness using a revealed comparative advantage index.
Findings
The results suggest that the duration of revealed comparative advantage is heterogeneous at the agri-food product level. Long-term survival rates as revealed by the comparative advantage indices are among the highest for the Netherlands, France, Belgium, the USA, Argentina and New Zealand. The level of economic development, the share of agricultural employment, subsidies to agriculture and differentiated consumer agri-food products increase the likelihood of failure in the duration of comparative advantage, while the abundance of agricultural land and export diversification reduce that likelihood.
Originality/value
The framework is conceptually innovative in how it models the likelihood of failure in the duration of comparative advantage and assesses implications. Export competitiveness is a crucial factor in long-term global farm business survival as it fosters opportunities for business prosperity on global markets.
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The literature argues on ambiguous impacts of different types of the common agricultural policy (CAP) subsidies on farm technical efficiency (TE). The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature argues on ambiguous impacts of different types of the common agricultural policy (CAP) subsidies on farm technical efficiency (TE). The purpose of this paper is to estimate and analyse the TE and the impact of the CAP subsidies on the TE of wine farms in Hungary using the farm accountancy data network data set in the period 2013–2019.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use stochastic frontiers analysis (SFA) models to estimate the TE scores for the Hungarian wine farms with four wine farm-level inputs in terms of agricultural land, labour, capital and intermediate consumption. The TE scores are explained by the CAP subsidies and economic wine farm size. The different SFA models were applied with robustness tests to investigate the drivers of the TE values of wineries.
Findings
Like for Hungarian farms in general, the distribution of the wine farm structure is a dual with a greater number of smaller wine farms and a smaller number of bigger wine farms. The agricultural land, capital and intermediate consumption are significantly positively associated with the wine farm TE. With higher capital intensity wine farm TE increase. The results imply that the CAP subsidies decrease the TE of the Hungarian wine farms, whereas economic farm size increase.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first specific efficiency studies on the wine sector in the Central and Eastern European region and the first one for Hungary to evaluate the TE at wine farm level and to assess the impact of CAP subsidies and economic farm size on wine farm (in)efficiency to apply production technologies and use farm resources. This study is among the first that applied the fixed-effects stochastic frontier model at the wine farm level to measure the drivers of the TE scores.
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Sergej Gričar and Štefan Bojnec
This paper aims to provide a reliable statistical model for time-series prices of short-stay accommodation and overnight stays in a eurozone country.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a reliable statistical model for time-series prices of short-stay accommodation and overnight stays in a eurozone country.
Design/methodology/approach
Exploiting the unit root feature, the cointegrated vector autoregressive model solves the problem of misspecification. Subsequently, variables are modelled for a long-run equilibrium with included deterministic variables.
Findings
The empirical results confirmed that overnight stays for foreign tourists were positively associated with the prices of short-stay accommodation.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation lies in the data vector and its time horizon; its extension could provide a more specific view.
Practical implications
Findings can assist practitioners and hotel executives by providing the information and rationale for adopting seasonal volatility pricing. Structural breaks in price time-series have practical implications for setting seasonal-pricing schemes. Tourists could benefit either from greater price stability or from differentiated seasonal prices, which are important in the promotion of the price attractiveness of the tourist destination.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper lies in the applied unit root econometrics for tourism price time-series modelling and the prediction of short-stay accommodation prices.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide an adaptedz gravity model to measure the impact of the number of the internet users on food industry trade between developed Organisation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an adaptedz gravity model to measure the impact of the number of the internet users on food industry trade between developed Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries using both panel and cross‐sectional data.
Design/methodology/approach
The impact of the internet users on food industry export growth and levels, and on food industry trade reorientation, and whether the internet has altered the effect of distance on food industry trade, are analyzed using adapted gravity model.
Findings
The positive, significant and over time increasing effect of the internet on food industry exports confirm that the internet reduces market‐specific entry costs for food industry exports. The significant positive effect pertained to the internet is found in the importing countries. The significant positive effects on food industry exports are found for the country's economic size and bilateral common features and proximities. The internet mitigates the countries proximities, but increased the distance between the countries.
Originality/value
The empirical contribution to the research of new connections made with the key elements of trade theory with focus on the effect of the internet on food industry trade.
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The purpose of this paper is to introduce cybernetic systems in defence management applications, to meet new challenges of the information society and use of system modelling for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce cybernetic systems in defence management applications, to meet new challenges of the information society and use of system modelling for decision making.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper defines basic terms for understanding the complexity of the defence management applications, which is simplified using input‐output modelling.
Findings
The paper illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of cybernetics, systems and management sciences. The defence system is analysed and a general input‐output model for defence system development recommended.
Research limitations/implications
New data technology and data availability provide perspective for applied research using scientific approach.
Practical implications
Cybernetic systems for defence provide analytical modelling for management applications.
Originality/value
The paper presents a concept and empirical evidence for defence system analysis and a new way of thinking that affects defence planning and defence management. A cybernetic, systemic and input‐output methodology provides solutions for defence management applications.
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This paper aims to contribute to the literature on the changing role of the defence sector in the economy at industry and enterprise levels focusing on defence‐civilian…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to the literature on the changing role of the defence sector in the economy at industry and enterprise levels focusing on defence‐civilian cooperation and defence supply networking with foreign industry enterprises from complex industry‐perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Measuring is based on the comparative industry data and the unique survey evidence for the Slovenian defence industry enterprises to derive managerial and policy implications.
Findings
The role of the defence industry in the economy declined, but trade deficits from arms and ammunition increased. The industry enterprises can gain from defence‐civilian cooperation and defence supply chain networking with foreign industry enterprises. Information‐coordination institutions are seen to provide opportunities for future industry development in Slovenia.
Research limitations/implications
This research focuses on Slovenia. Future enhancement of the research would be to look into the possibility of applying the findings to other countries. The size of the enterprise, and even more the size of the country, does matter in the defence‐market chain activities.
Practical implications
The proposed industry firm‐level survey approach provides useful policy and managerial implications in the evaluation of defence industry supply and market chain cooperation and networking activities with foreign industry enterprises. The study proves the usefulness of the results, both to the future organizational development and as a decision‐making tool in the complex industry systems.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the industry firm‐level analyses as data management tools for evaluating the defence‐civilian cooperation and networking of complex industry market chain activities for more effective management.
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Štefan Bojnec and Laure Latruffe
The aim of this paper is to investigate technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies by data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier methods to provide a…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies by data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier methods to provide a decision‐making tool and managerial implications in the measurement of farm business performance and efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
Technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies are analyzed with the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) sample for 13 farm business branches in Slovenia in the period 1994‐2003. DEA models are used with an output‐orientation, three outputs and four inputs. The non‐parametric DEA estimations are compared with a parametric stochastic frontier approach. The cluster analysis is used to identify three different farm business groups according to their performance.
Findings
The average technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies for the whole FADN sample over the analyzed period are relatively high (around or over 0.90), suggesting that, although the FADN sample contains very different farms, the latter have similar management practices, and are similarly able to make the best use of the existing technology. Five farm branches (crop, dairy, livestock using own feed, fruit, and forestry) are fully efficient with respect to all four analyzed efficiency measures, suggesting that these specializations have the best chance to compete on the European and world markets.
Originality/value
Studies of technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies are rare for transitional farm businesses, especially in Slovenia. The research contributes to the crucial issue of whether small family farm businesses might be able to compete on international markets, as Slovenian agriculture is characterized by such structures.
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