Carlos Casanova, Le Xia and Romina Ferreira
The purpose of this paper is to deploy an export dependency index to identify the sectors and countries in Latin America which are most exposed to fluctuations in Chinese demand…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to deploy an export dependency index to identify the sectors and countries in Latin America which are most exposed to fluctuations in Chinese demand. Bilateral trade between China and Latin America has grown very quickly in the past decade. As a consequence, economic relationships with Latin America intensified tremendously, as growing demand for resources drove China into relatively unexplored frontiers.
Design/methodology/approach
The Index measures the relative exposure of Latin American exporters to shifts in demand from China and is scaled from 0 to 1 (the higher the score, the more exposed an exporter is to disruptions of trade with China). The authors undertook the analysis using six-digit trade figures from the United Nations COMTRADE database (Harmonized System 2007 nomenclature) to ensure granularity and consistency and contrasted their results across two points in time, 2008 and 2014. The analysis was very comprehensive, covering the products that accounted for 80 per cent or more of all exports to China in 2014, for all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Findings
According to our estimates, dependency on China increased overboard across Latin America for all countries and all sectors between 2008 and 2014. Absolute dependency levels were highest in Costa Rica, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Peru, Chile, Guyana and Argentina. Of these, the largest exporters to China, namely, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, featured high dependencies concentrated around just four commodities: soy in the form of soybeans and soybean oil; crude oil; copper in the form of copper ore, copper cathodes and unrefined copper; and iron ore. These four commodities accounted for 80 per cent of the regions’ total exports to China.
Originality/value
This is one of few studies that look into Latin America’s commodity export dependency on China at such granular level.
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Hector Martin, Ashlee Miller, Amrita Milling and Marie Martin
Business-to-government corruption has destroyed many businesses and debilitated numerous countries. The paradox of plenty, or the curse of resources, is exacerbated in emerging…
Abstract
Purpose
Business-to-government corruption has destroyed many businesses and debilitated numerous countries. The paradox of plenty, or the curse of resources, is exacerbated in emerging oil and gas economies, where corruption is rampant. Corruption most frequently occurs within the tendering stage of construction projects and the current debate fails to arrest this ubiquitous boundless construct in small island developing states (SIDSs). The purpose of this study is to explain how the unique features of SIDS contributes to an understanding of B2G corruption during construction tendering.
Design/methodology/approach
This study elucidates corruption in the tendering process through the lens of collective action and principal–agent theories. Interviews with three experts and a questionnaire survey with 115 practitioners evaluated corruption in Trinidad’s construction industry. Principal component analysis reduced 33 corruption variables to 5 primary causes. In addition, the relative importance of potential solutions for curtailing corruption was assessed.
Findings
The derived factors highlight that governance within SID oil and gas economies, inadequate tender procedures and practices, reprehensible business growth strategies, unethical misconduct and the social networking context characterise public infrastructure tendering. The recommendations for minimising corruption in tendering are grounded in behaviour and deterrence theories and infused with technological advances.
Research limitations/implications
Using surveys and interviews circumvents the limitation of the inability to measure corruption because of the confines of respondents’ recall triggers. However, corruption is mediated by cultural norms, which limits the generalisation of the findings.
Originality/value
The study concludes that corruption results from a lack of transparency in the construction supply chain. It leads to an awareness gap between project stakeholders, which is a major risk factor and source of mistrust. The result is a lack of traceable processes and coordination among stakeholders. Consequently, the study fills the gap in responsible socio-economic consumption in SIDSs.
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A foundation in artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among all academic staff is essential for supporting students’ AI literacy effectively. As tools like ChatGPT increasingly…
Abstract
A foundation in artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among all academic staff is essential for supporting students’ AI literacy effectively. As tools like ChatGPT increasingly influence academic work, educators need to understand prompt engineering and reconsider assessment designs. However, many lack the necessary training or time to engage with courses, limiting their ability to design assessments that leverage these technologies while maintaining academic integrity. This project investigated the impact of prompt training on university academics’ abilities to craft prompts and redesign assessments within a Scottish university. A two-hour workshop on prompt engineering was conducted for academic staff, during which participants graded AI-generated content before and after they received training. Results indicated a significant improvement in the quality of prompts crafted by participants post-training. Qualitative feedback revealed mixed reactions, highlighting both the potential and limitations of AI in academic settings. The study demonstrated the need for ongoing staff development in AI literacy.
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Junying Liu, Zhixiu Wang, Jiansheng Tang and Jingcong Song
While there is a general belief that a defective institutional environment will lead to higher compliance risk, the current state of knowledge about how the institutional…
Abstract
Purpose
While there is a general belief that a defective institutional environment will lead to higher compliance risk, the current state of knowledge about how the institutional environment affects enterprises' compliance is equivocal. This study aims to explore how does the host country's institutional environment affect the compliance risk perception of international engineering contractors and how to mitigate this impact.
Design/methodology/approach
This study empirically tests the impact of the institutional environment from the two dimensions of the institutional environment: legal completeness reflects whether the formal regulations are clear, detailed and comprehensive and legal effectiveness reflects whether rules and policies can be implemented effectively when the proper legal codes are provided. Based on 213 questionnaire data, this study uses partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and Smart PLS software to test the hypothesis.
Findings
This study finds a negative relationship between the host country's legal completeness (LC) or legal effectiveness (LE) and a contractor's compliance risk perception. Further, the results show potential absorptive capacity (PAC) and realized absorptive capacity (RAC) of a contractor are critical for mitigating the impact of low LC in the host country, but not when LE is low.
Practical implications
The findings will be useful for international engineering contractors to respond to the compliance risk of the host country, both in choices of overseas investment locations and compliance capacity building.
Originality/value
This study reveals the impact of the host country's institutional environment on the compliance risk perception of international contractors, and provides theoretical guidance for how to alleviate the compliance barriers brought by the host country's institutional environment to international engineering contractors.
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Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap, Kai Yee Lee and Martin Skitmore
Corruption continues to be a pervasive stain on the construction industry in developing countries worldwide, jeopardising project performance and with wide-ranging negative…
Abstract
Purpose
Corruption continues to be a pervasive stain on the construction industry in developing countries worldwide, jeopardising project performance and with wide-ranging negative implications for all facets of society. As such, this study aims to identify and analyse the causes of corruption in the construction sector of an emerging economy such as Malaysia, as it is crucial to uncover the specific facilitating factors involved to devise effective counter strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a detailed literature review, 18 causes of corruption are identified. The results of an opinion survey within the Malaysian construction industry are further reported to rank and analyse the causes. The factor analysis technique is then applied to uncover the principal factors involved.
Findings
The results indicate that all the considered causes are perceived to be significant, with the most critical causes being avarice, relationships between parties, lack of ethical standards, an intense competitive nature and the involvement of a large amount of money. A factor analysis reveals four major causal dimensions of these causes, comprising the unique nature of the construction industry and the extensive competition involved; unscrupulous leadership, culture and corruption perception; a flawed legal system and lack of accountability; and ineffective enforcement and an inefficient official bureaucracy.
Research limitations/implications
The study presents the Malaysian construction industry’s view of the causes of corruption. Therefore, the arguments made in the study are influenced by the social, economic and cultural settings of Malaysia, which may limit generalisation of the findings.
Practical implications
This paper helps stakeholders understand the root causes and underlying dimensions of corruption in the construction industry, especially in Malaysia. Recommendations for changing cultures that may be conducive to corrupt practices, and anti-corruption measures, are suggested based on the findings of the research.
Originality/value
These findings can guide practitioners and researchers in addressing the impediments that give rise to the vulnerability of the construction industry to corrupt practices and understanding the “red flags” in project delivery.
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Muhammed Jisham, Vanitha Selvaraj and Abin John
Driven by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, WealthTech has played a pivotal role in reshaping the wealth management industry in recent years. Within this context…
Abstract
Purpose
Driven by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, WealthTech has played a pivotal role in reshaping the wealth management industry in recent years. Within this context, this study aims to explain the antecedents of users’ continuance intention to use the WealthTech platform by integrating the technology continuance theory (TCT), task-technology fit (TTF) and digital nudging.
Design/methodology/approach
To empirically test the research model, an online survey was conducted among 337 investors who had previously used WealthTech platform. The authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the research model and test the hypotheses.
Findings
PLS-SEM results show that the proposed model has moderate explanatory power in explaining WealthTech continuance intention. The results also found that attitude, digital nudging and satisfaction are important drivers in promoting WealthTech continuance intention. According to importance performance map analysis, digital nudging, expectation confirmation and satisfaction are critical factors in explaining continuance intention, which require managerial action.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the earliest studies that analyze the determinants of WealthTech continuance intention by integrating TCT with TTF and digital nudging. The study’s findings highlight the importance of fit factors and digital nudging in promoting successful WealthTech services.
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Qian Zhang, Bee Lan Oo and Benson Teck-Heng Lim
The ability of construction firms to become more environmentally conscious and socially responsible for their business activities has been touted as the key driver for improved…
Abstract
Purpose
The ability of construction firms to become more environmentally conscious and socially responsible for their business activities has been touted as the key driver for improved individual firms' competitiveness. This study explores the key dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and their impact factors among construction firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the institutional, stakeholders and self-determination theories, this study proposed a conceptual framework of CSR implementation. For its validation, data were collected from 90 top-tier construction firms using an online survey and analyzed via a two-pronged factor analysis method.
Findings
The empirical results demonstrate that the CSR practices of construction firms include eight key dimensions, e.g. shareholders' interests, government commitment and CSR institutional arrangement. The three key groups of impact factor of CSR implementation are (1) identified factors (i.e. contractors' perceived importance of CSR practices); (2) external institutional factors (i.e. coercive and normative factors and mimetic factors); and (3) intrinsic factors (i.e. strategic business direction, resource and capability and organizational culture).
Practical implications
The research findings inform the practitioners about how to enact, manage and improve firms' socially responsible goals so as to fulfill their key stakeholders' requirements and expectations and thus enhance their legitimacy in construction businesses.
Originality/value
This study contributes to CSR knowledge by identifying and empirically demonstrating valid measurements of the key dimensions of practices and impact factors toward CSR implementation by construction firms.
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Junying Liu, Yuqing Wang and Zhixiu Wang
This research aims to build a three-tiered driver system that entices contractor rule violations and explores the importance and the relationships among these drivers, hence…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to build a three-tiered driver system that entices contractor rule violations and explores the importance and the relationships among these drivers, hence providing theoretical support for the contractor rule violations governance.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review based on fraud diamond theory identified drivers from Pressure, Opportunity, Rationalization and Capability that drive contractor rule violations. In the Chinese context, through feedback, discussion and analysis of semistructured interviews with ten experts, an improved three-tiered driver system was drafted. Based on this system, a survey was conducted and scored with experts to provide the data for this research. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method was used to determine relationships and influences between factors, and the DEMATEL-based analytic network process method was used to weigh these factors.
Findings
This paper systematically studied the drivers of contractor rule violations, specifically, the results showed that pressure had an important driving effect across the driver system, and those five factors – poor cultural atmosphere, weak internal control, prior experience, moral disengagement and information asymmetry – had the most influence on contractor rule violations. The results also indicated the strong effect pressure has on enticing rule violations and revealed that culture atmosphere and internal company governance played crucial roles in the occurrence of rule violations.
Practical implications
This study provided construction practitioners with a robust tool to analyze the drivers of contractor rule violations. The rule violation drivers in the construction practice scenes identified in this study can provide more direct and effective violation-related guidance for contractors, regulators and the industry.
Originality/value
Based on the new perspective of fraud diamond, this paper systematically bulit a three-tiered driver system combining theory with practice. This study contributed to understand the driver mechanism of contractor rule violations especially the importance of internal factors of contractors, which provided theory reference for compliance governance of construction industry.
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Zhixiu Wang, Junying Liu and Xinya Guan
Although the global construction industry has made great contributions to economic development, industry corruption is a challenge for governments all over the world. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the global construction industry has made great contributions to economic development, industry corruption is a challenge for governments all over the world. This paper aims to investigate the causal complexity of organizational corruption by exploring the configuration effect of multiple induced conditions of corruption in the construction sector.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is focused on bribery, a specific form of corrupt behavior through a scenario-based survey role-playing game in which participants encounter bribery. A total of 400 Chinese construction sector participants were randomly recruited to complete this survey.
Findings
Compared with studies that have identified a number of factors associated with corruption in the construction sector, this study found asymmetry and complexity in the causality of organizational corruption. That is, when a variable causing corruption changes from one condition to its opposite – for example, from fierce to mild competition – the degree of corruption is not necessarily reduced as one may expect.
Practical implications
Anti-corruption measures should not rely solely on the net effects of discrete conditions and the interactions between multiple factors should not be ignored. In other words, anti-corruption strategies should not be implemented in isolation of their context, and pairing control measures with configurations is critical in controlling corruption. Finally, multiple configuration paths should be reconsidered when considering the degree of corruption reduction.
Originality/value
This study proposes a comprehensive analysis framework for addressing organizational corruption in the construction sector by investigating configuration effects of multiple induced conditions and offers a useful method for addressing corruption.