Yiqiu Wang, Maria Porter and Songqing Jin
The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of introducing a health insurance program in rural China between 2004 and 2006, the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of introducing a health insurance program in rural China between 2004 and 2006, the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply difference in difference and propensity score matching methods (PSM-DID) to a widely used panel dataset, the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Findings are robust across several treatment and comparison groups used in previous NCMS studies.
Findings
Households who participated in NCMS increased the use of preventive services and western medicine, while lowering the use of traditional Chinese medicine. NCMS also reduced hospital use, out of pocket payments, travel time to healthcare facilities and waiting time to see doctors. The authors estimate that reductions in travel and waiting time saved roughly 52m U.S. dollars in 2006.
Research limitations/implications
Previously divergent findings on health insurance effects may be due to researchers studying health insurance across different healthcare delivery systems. In addition, in estimating how health insurance access affects healthcare costs, the authors should consider economic costs related to the time needed to access health services.
Originality/value
The authors study how health insurance access affects patients' choice of providers and economic costs to accessing health care services, outcomes that have not received much attention previously. The authors depart from previous NCMS studies by comparing several different approaches to identifying treatment and control groups when applying PSM-DID.
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National competitive advantage is a model which is widely taught in business schools but there has been limited research into its usefulness for managers and policy makers in…
Abstract
National competitive advantage is a model which is widely taught in business schools but there has been limited research into its usefulness for managers and policy makers in particular economies and industries. This research looks at New Zealand, and in particular its wine industry as a context for the national competitive advantage model. The literature discusses the influence that both organisational resources and national competitive advantage have on organisational performance and profitability, examining such factors as domestic demand, the factors of production, related and supporting industry, the nature of domestic rivalry and how organisations are developed and managed. The data was gathered from CEO's of wineries, plus industry and national reports on the performance of the wine industry and the New Zealand economy. The research found that New Zealand suffers from policy inconsistencies, poor performance of senior management and competitive disadvantage in research and development, licensing, value chain management, regional sales and international distribution. Also, new knowledge created in Universities and Research Centres is not being transferred adequately to new and growing firms. However, it performs well in terms of competition policy, taxation and trade liberalisation. The New Zealand wine industry has both extensive and intense competition, has limited access to venture capital and does not have effective cluster development. There is considerable work to be done by the wine industry in terms of developing human capital and innovation if it is to remain internationally competitive. Also, it is essential to work co‐operatively in international markets and to identify clearly defined target market segments.
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Vedant Singh, S. Vaibhav and Somesh Kr. Sharma
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between the dimensions of sustainable competitive advantages in the Indian low cost airlines.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between the dimensions of sustainable competitive advantages in the Indian low cost airlines.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used structural equation modelling methods to identify the factors that significantly affect the sustainable competitive advantages enjoyed by Indian low-cost carriers (LCCs). Specifically, this study is based on the data from 208 airline experts that populate multiple structural equation models.
Findings
Results indicate that indigenous efficiency, the LCCs perceptions of threat, dexterity, strategic persuasion and the LCC adopting an enabling role positively affect LCCs’ competitive advantages. These five factors were all correlated with each other. The results also show that relative to an LCC’s dexterity, indigenous efficiency is a stronger predictor of an LCC’s competitive advantages.
Originality/value
This study provides low-cost airlines with valuable information for designing effective strategies for obtaining competitive advantages in the LCC sector. To conclude the paper, the authors offer practical recommendations for managers and suggest some avenues for future research in this area.
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Andreea Maria Gabriela Militaru, Atil Kurt and Mehmet Gumus
Nowadays, nations are rapidly changing and evolving, both because of global competitiveness and technological development. The fast change of the economies and the interconnected…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, nations are rapidly changing and evolving, both because of global competitiveness and technological development. The fast change of the economies and the interconnected world has brought a more globalized world than ever. The purpose of this paper is to assess Romania (RO) and Türkiye (TR) by using a customized version of Porter’s diamond model (PDM), with an emphasis on identifying the key components of their innovation systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a recognized model to unfold its structure. Based on the PDM, this paper tackles the topic of innovation systems both of RO and TR. Applying the model, a mapping of indicators representing components of the national innovation system is made possible. Besides the traditional four determinants (dimensions) of the model, the authors adapted it and added the technology conditions. Using the five dimensions, a comparison of strategical objectives is made between RO and TR.
Findings
The results show the potential for both countries to develop and embrace the innovation capacity, while there is still room for improvement in this regard. Another point is the map of innovation system components that were used for the comparison. The implications of innovation are analyzed at a strategical level, comparing the mapping with the national strategical objectives.
Originality/value
There are many studies using this model, however a few bring into the light the impact of innovation systems at national level. Hence, a new framework is provided to evaluate innovative systems using a selection of modern indicators. This study uses an existing model in literature, Porter’s model mapping indicators, which highlight the innovation capacity.
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Silvia Ferraz Nogueira De Tommaso and Vanessa Pinsky
This study aims to investigate how Suzano implemented shared value (SV) strategies to reconcile profitability and social welfare by joining innovation and sustainability.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how Suzano implemented shared value (SV) strategies to reconcile profitability and social welfare by joining innovation and sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use an exploratory, descriptive qualitative approach using the interactive qualitative analysis (IQA) method. IQA procedures and protocols were operationalized to get to Suzano's SV system. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews. Content analyses were conducted with the support of Atlas.ti software.
Findings
The most relevant findings of this research are (1) Suzano developed a unique strategy to spread collaborative and innovation mindset throughout the organization called “innovability”; (2) Suzano's effort to understand local community's demands and a collaborative work raised the companies' profitability and enabled prosperity for the community; (3) the IQA procedures and protocols enabled the development of a Suzano's SV system, composed of nine elements and their relationships. They are purpose-driven leadership, materiality matrix, social welfare, profitability, ecosystem, business results, social results, impact and sustainable economic development, (4) purpose-driven leadership is the system's driver.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to studying the implementation of the SV as a strategy to reconcile profitability and welfare. Despite the findings about the company's conflicts with local communities and the strategy with small family producers, other studies could evaluate the strategy of different stakeholders, such as the supply chain since Suzano is one of the leading companies of paper sales in Brazil.
Practical implications
By using IQA protocols and the nine elements of this study, other researchers may replicate it to investigate the adoption of SV strategies in other organizations. The SV system developed in this study may be used by business leaders to disseminate the SV policies and practices in their organization.
Social implications
The company adopts the three forms of SV -reconceiving products and markets, redefining productivity in the value chain and developing clusters with the local community-as strategies for sustainable and collaborative management. Suzano was led to get involved with the problems and conflicts' root causes. By doing so, the company unlocked innovation as a driver to achieve sustainable and responsible management. For them, innovation is in service of sustainability, creating innovability. Both concepts are part of the whole organization culture and practice. Innovability is Suzano's essence, and SV strategies are the means to scale it.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper relies on the method and techniques used to gather and analyze primary data, in which the unit of analysis (Suzano's SV strategy) was considered a system. Major findings were validated with research participants. By using IQA protocols and the nine elements of this study, other researchers may replicate it to investigate the adoption of SV strategies in other organizations.
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Maria Teresa Roszkowska-Menkes
This conceptual paper aims to investigate the link between open innovation (OI) processes (outside-in, inside-out and coupled) and strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR…
Abstract
Purpose
This conceptual paper aims to investigate the link between open innovation (OI) processes (outside-in, inside-out and coupled) and strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) focusing on shared value creation. In doing so, it aims at progressing the theory of OI and CSR.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is of theoretical character. It adopts the contribution proposed by CSR (strategic CSR and corporate social innovation) and OI literature and is organized around two research questions: What is the link between strategic CSR and OI processes (outside-in, inside-out and coupled)? How do companies can capture value from their open corporate social innovation processes? Stakeholder theory has been chosen as a theoretical framework for the study.
Findings
The paper identifies four themes describing the relationship between strategic CSR and OI: employee engagement, external stakeholder engagement, CSR-driven selective revealing and open approach to corporate social innovation. The analysis of the themes led to the formulation of four propositions serving as building blocks for a conceptual model of open shared value creation process. The model explains bidirectional relationship between strategic CSR and OI processes and presents the mechanisms, in which firm by implementing OI practices to its CSR strategy captures the proportion of value from a value created for its stakeholders.
Originality/value
This is one of the first, if not the first, papers discussing the link between CSR and three OI processes.
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Carlos Henrique da Rocha Vencato, Clandia Maffini Gomes, Flavia Luciane Scherer, Jordana Marques Kneipp and Roberto Schoproni Bichueti
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the practices of strategic sustainability management and the main indicators of export performance in industrial companies of the rubber…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the practices of strategic sustainability management and the main indicators of export performance in industrial companies of the rubber artifacts sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The study characterizes itself as descriptive and quantitative and has had the intention to analyze the main practices of strategic sustainability management and the export performance indicators in companies of the artifacts and rubbers sector of the States of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. For this, one has carried out a survey with companies of the rubber sector. The conceptual model adopted in the study is made up of a set of variables related to the strategic sustainability management and to the export performance.
Findings
The main results have made evident that, in general, companies involve stakeholders and their employees in sustainable strategies; internationalize themselves via exports, by means of intermediaries in Brazil and find themselves in an initial internationalization stage. Moreover, it is possible to maintain that most companies do not believe that sustainability is an initiative separated from company action.
Practical implications
One recommends to the studied companies a greater commitment with the international strategies, organizing themselves to pressure the government to give a greater support to the studied sector, and a greater inclusion of sustainability in the organizational strategies, in order to improve their competitiveness in the local and international market.
Originality/value
The analyzed data allowed identify the great importance of sustainability, with few barriers against their implementations. Furthermore, it is possible to say that the actions which are toward the practice of sustainability management helped positively for the export performance, confirming the hypotheses of this paper.
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Sara Nunes, Cristina Estevão and Maria Nicolau Filipe
Competitiveness has been the objective of investigation in tourism in general, and particularly in hospitality, by many researchers in the past decades. The purpose of this study…
Abstract
Purpose
Competitiveness has been the objective of investigation in tourism in general, and particularly in hospitality, by many researchers in the past decades. The purpose of this study is to identify which main factors are considered crucial for the increase of competitiveness in hospitality, by applying the Porter’s diamond model to this sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used in the study required the use of primary data from which the authors obtained 285 responses from companies related to hospitality in Portugal. In the processing of data, the authors used a structural equation model.
Findings
The results showed that “government policies”, “factor conditions”, “related and supporting industries” and “cooperation and innovation” were determinant factors of the competitiveness of the sector.
Originality/value
Despite the importance of competitiveness in hospitality, the number of studies focused on the empirical validation models of competitiveness, applied to the hospitality industry, is still incipient. This study contributes to fill this gap.