Joywin Mathew and Claire Robertson
To provide an overview of how blue bonds can have a transformative impact on the blue- and ocean-based economies.
Abstract
Purpose
To provide an overview of how blue bonds can have a transformative impact on the blue- and ocean-based economies.
Design/methodology/approach
This article provides an overview of what a blue bond is, the process for issuing a blue bond, the transformative effects blue bonds can have on ocean economies, and the areas ocean economies should focus on to attract investors and catalyze investment into their ocean economies.
Findings
This article concludes blue bonds present an opportunity to not only achieve strong financial returns but to also contribute to a meaningful environmental and social impact on ocean economies. As the public and private sectors develop initiatives to catalyze investment into ocean initiatives, it is likely the investment community will eagerly adopt blue bonds into the suite of sustainable finance products, driving greater investment into ocean economies and supporting the health of our oceans.
Practical implications
One of the key constraints for blue-bond growth is the lack of familiarity to this product among market participants. Unlike its other ESG-labeled counterparts, blue bonds are not regulated by a set of principles such as those prescribed by the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA). Clarifying the alignment of globally recognized standards such as the ICMA principles and its correlation to blue financing may help ocean industries to achieve greater recognition within the sustainable bond market framework and can make the market aware of important characteristics of ocean industries, including differing risks and opportunities.
Originality/value
Practical guidance from experienced lawyers in ESG bonds and blue economy initiatives.
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Outlines a case study detailing how a road enlargement project eliminated sidewalk selling space and restructured the edge of a major market in Dakar, Senegal. Explains how the…
Abstract
Outlines a case study detailing how a road enlargement project eliminated sidewalk selling space and restructured the edge of a major market in Dakar, Senegal. Explains how the crucial role of location for street and market trade to the fore, covering the ensuing negotiations which revealed powerful hierarchies based on gender, age and class. Shows how these shaped the process of duscussion and led to differential outcomes for individual traders.
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Strategy and leadership guru, Sydney Finkelstein believes that “regenerating the talent pool is the single most important thing that any leader can do” to help his or her…
Abstract
Purpose
Strategy and leadership guru, Sydney Finkelstein believes that “regenerating the talent pool is the single most important thing that any leader can do” to help his or her organization to “survive and prosper.” His new book, Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent (Harvard Business Review Press, 2016), studies “those few individuals” in any given industry who “grow human capital better than anyone else.”
Design/methodology/approach
Strategy & Leadership contributing editor Brian Leavy asks Prof. Finkelstein what can managers learn from these exceptional talent developers that might be more widely emulated?
Findings
According to Prof. Finkelstein, “The superboss playbook is not about being nice or empathic. It’s about giving proteges the motivation, guidance, wisdom, creative licence, and other elements they need to learn and grow”
Practical implications
Prof. Finkelstein notes, “While many businesses today focus on getting closer to the customer, superbosses are very much focused on getting closer to their employees or team members.”
Originality/value
Prof. Finkelstein asserts, “Superbosses have cracked the code on how to make organizations work better by designing a playbook that helps people accomplish more than they ever thought possible in their careers, or their lives. By studying the superbosses and what they do, we now know how genuinely unusual talent comes to populate an organization.?
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Melinda Smale, Veronique Theriault and Amidou Assima
To orient the commercial development of cowpeas, we identify the determinants of the value of cowpea grain sold by traders in Senegal’s local markets. We test whether the…
Abstract
Purpose
To orient the commercial development of cowpeas, we identify the determinants of the value of cowpea grain sold by traders in Senegal’s local markets. We test whether the determinants differ between men and women traders and explore seasonal patterns.
Design/methodology/approach
We employ ordinary least squares and seemingly unrelated regressions using a nationally representative dataset of 973 traders, of whom 380 sell cowpea grain, in 99 urban and rural markets across the 14 regions of Senegal.
Findings
The value of cowpea grain sold is influenced by vendor and market characteristics but not by cowpea type. Women and men traders represent statistically distinct groups. The sales value was eight times higher during the survey season among men. Most women grain sellers are retailers, whereas men are involved in both retailing and wholesaling. The picture that emerges is that men traders are able to respond more to economic signals, such as purchase cost, credit and labor payments, perhaps because they operate on a larger scale. Sales were significantly correlated across seasons.
Research limitations/implications
To support cowpea commercialization, researchers should explore the characteristics of enterprises led by women and men traders in greater depth. Sampling grain sold in markets to test genetic relationships with improved varieties would enable researchers to link market-based incentives directly to cowpea breeding.
Originality/value
Previous economics research about cowpea grain markets emphasized the hedonic analysis of grain characteristics to guide crop improvement. This study reveals differentiation among traders by gender and the importance of trader and market characteristics in sales value.
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Claire Barnardo, Mignon Reyneke, Caitlin Ferreira and Jeandri Robertson
The learning outcomes of this paper is as follows: to strategically evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, threats and resulting opportunities that face an entrepreneurial startup…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this paper is as follows: to strategically evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, threats and resulting opportunities that face an entrepreneurial startup. To apply the academic principle of competitiveness and evaluate the competitive advantage of the business and its competitors through the application of the Porter’s five forces model. To evaluate the contextual tensions that entrepreneurial ventures face, and how these affect the growth of a sustainable business. To develop the skills to create a target market analysis by using segmentation, targeting and positioning principles. To evaluate the best strategic actions to grow a business through the lens of sustainable entrepreneurship, by using principles such as the triple bottom line and people, opportunity, context and deal and framework.
Case overview/synopsis
The case look at business challenges faced by an entrepreneur, Renshia Manuel, the CEO of GrowBox, as she attempts to balance the profitability and social impact of her venture in Cape Town, South Africa. GrowBox sells customisable self-contained wooden boxes equipped with all materials to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs for consumers. Large volumes of boxes are often purchased by corporate clients who donated these to lower-income communities as part of their social responsibility projects. Additional landscaping and food-scaping services make up another revenue stream of the business. The case study documents the conception of GrowBox in 2016 and the growth of the business in the first four years of operation. The theft of equipment, and difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff due to the volatile social climate of where the business was situated, have put the business under great financial pressure and reduced the efficiency of business processes. The case highlights a number of the harsh realities of sustainable entrepreneurship where both profitability and social impact are vitally important to ensure business sustainability. The case dilemma involves the choices faced by Renshia at the beginning of 2020 regarding the future, sustainable growth of the business.
Complexity academic level
The target audience for this teaching case is primarily business students at a postgraduate level, particularly those studying in the fields of sustainable entrepreneurship and social development, as well as marketing in emerging markets. This teaching case is intended to be used as a case study in postgraduate business programmes such as postgraduate diplomas in management, specialist Masters programmes such as those focussed on entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship or social development, as well as those studying a Master of Business Administration or related executive education programme.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
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Leei John, Marc Robertson, Kate Tetley and Claire Seaman
This paper considers a country context where traditional entrepreneurship has not been a major part of the economy and considers current attempts to develop entrepreneurship…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper considers a country context where traditional entrepreneurship has not been a major part of the economy and considers current attempts to develop entrepreneurship education (EE) as a part of wider market development.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors review the background to the economic development of the Post-Soviet states and link this to existing knowledge around EE. The potential routes by which EE might be developed in Uzbekistan are discussed with a focus upon hospitality and tourism education, leading to the development of a model of the six key aspects of change
Findings
The potential for future research is explored, and four aspects are highlighted as areas where partnership working with overseas universities is likely to have substantive benefits. In particular, the development of quality standards and staff development are areas where partnership could have an important influence, whereas barriers within local systems and cultural resistance are likely to benefit less from a partnership approach. Although entrepreneurial competencies and entrepreneurial intent are both important, entrepreneurial intent is highlighted given its role in terms of individual responses to country-level initiatives.
Practical implications
Although all four aspects merit further research, this paper ends with a specific suggestion that future research should draw on the theory of planned behaviour to explore entrepreneurial intent.
Originality/value
Uzbekistan is a relatively under-researched area where hospitality and tourism industries are undergoing a period of intense development.
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Claire Newman, Andrew Cashin and Iain Graham
The purpose of this paper is to identify and deliberate the service development needs required for the improvement of service provision for incarcerated adults with autism…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and deliberate the service development needs required for the improvement of service provision for incarcerated adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in NSW, Australia.
Design/methodology/approach
Consultation groups were conducted to bring together n=5 key stakeholders from heath and correctional-based services in the prison system. A facilitated asynchronous e-mail-based discussion occurred amongst group members between consultation group meetings.
Findings
Two main themes were identified: detecting persons with ASD and providing appropriate care. Participants discussed current service gaps with regard to the identification of people with ASD at the point of contact with the prison service, and the difficulties associated with diagnosing prisoners with ASD. The need for effective alert systems to detect persons with ASD in custody was identified. The current absence of ASD-specific support services in prison was highlighted, and recommendations for improvement suggested.
Practical implications
Current health and correctional-based service provision failed to adequately support incarcerated adults with ASD. Improvements in prison-entry screening processes, alert systems and diagnostic practices are required. Multidisciplinary collaboration between prison-based and external service providers is required for the development of a model of care based on individualised case management to adequately support incarcerated adults with ASD in prison.
Originality/value
Given the lack of reported service provision for incarcerated adults with ASD internationally, other prison-based services are likely to experience similar service development needs and see the relevance of the recommendations made directly from the study findings.
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Elizabeth Hughes, Neil Robertson, Cheryl Kipping and Claire Lynch
Dual diagnosis poses particular challenges for inpatient mental health services. Workers have low levels of training, clinical experience and support to deliver integrated care…
Abstract
Dual diagnosis poses particular challenges for inpatient mental health services. Workers have low levels of training, clinical experience and support to deliver integrated care that combines mental health and substance use interventions. In addition, inpatient workers have to balance being therapeutic with ensuring that illicit substance use does not occur on the wards. This often leads to confrontation and poor engagement.In order to improve the capabilities of the workers to deliver more effective interventions for this group of service users, dual diagnosis training should be a high priority for acute inpatient services. However, there are a number of challenges in the implementation of this including lack of resources to fund training and specialist roles, lack of time to attend training (and supervision), and lack of time to implement learning in routine care.This paper will describe the policy drivers for the improvement of dual diagnosis care in acute psychiatric inpatient services, and how two initiatives in London are overcoming some of the obstacles and showing some promising initial outcomes. This paper will make recommendations for future research and developments.
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Niall Power, Gregg H. Rawlings and Claire Bennett
There is growing evidence examining mindfulness-based interventions (MI) for people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). As discussed in this paper, MI may be particularly suited…
Abstract
Purpose
There is growing evidence examining mindfulness-based interventions (MI) for people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). As discussed in this paper, MI may be particularly suited for people with ID given high rates of difficulties in identifying and regulating emotions and as this approach may rely less on cognitive ability compared to other therapies. This study aims to assess the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a six-session MI group [the Coping Well Group (CWG)] delivered within routine clinical practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Six separate cohorts (n = 25) of adults with ID attended CWG. Quantitative data were collected from service users, including a pre- and post-quality of life (QoL) measure and qualitative data from group facilitators.
Findings
Roughly one-half (53%) of service users invited to the group attended at least one session, with low levels of dropout observed among group attendees. A significant improvement in QoL was reported demonstrating a small effect (d = 0.46, p = 0.022) after attending the group. Most service users (72%) were referred to the CWG for help managing difficult emotions. One-half (44%) of attendees required individual therapy after attending the group. Limitations of the evaluation and potential future research are discussed.
Originality/value
The current evaluation contributes a practice-based service evaluation of an MI group for people with ID and mental health difficulties to the currently limited evidence base. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to investigate the impact of group psychological interventions collecting data across cohorts and assessing QoL, a more general measure of well-being than has been used previously.
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Clive Fletcher and Claire Kerslake
Describes the extent to which attending an assessment centre (AC)generates anxiety amongst candidates, and its effects on them.Questionnaires were administered to 70 bank staff…
Abstract
Describes the extent to which attending an assessment centre (AC) generates anxiety amongst candidates, and its effects on them. Questionnaires were administered to 70 bank staff before and after attending ACs. Results show candidates experienced rather high levels of anxiety, and that higher anxiety level was associated with lower ratings given by assessors, though the candidates′ post‐AC self‐perceptions of ability tended to be higher for those with higher anxiety. The nature of the anxiety reported seemed to be situation‐specific and to be akin to test anxiety and evaluation apprehension. Discusses findings in terms of implications for the quality of the assessments made and the way in which ACs should be run to minimize anxiety effects.