Oliver Rossmannek and Olaf N. Rank
This study aims to investigate how the home country institutional development influences the alliance formation process.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how the home country institutional development influences the alliance formation process.
Design/methodology/approach
A network of strategic alliances between 95 airlines over a 5-year period is analyzed with stochastic actor-oriented models [i.e. Simulation investigation for empirical network analysis (SIENA)]. Robustness analyses use a subsample of these airlines over a period of 10 years.
Findings
The results demonstrate that the membership in a firm group and a high share of state ownership are more beneficial for the number of alliances if the firm originates from a country with low institutional development.
Practical implications
Firms from less developed countries can use affiliations (e.g. to firm groups or the government) as signals to attract international alliance partners.
Social implications
Policymakers from less developed countries should support the development of (local) firm groups to stimulate interorganizational cooperation.
Originality/value
Firms form alliances based on two aspects: preferences for alliance partners and attractiveness to potential partners. Prior studies outlined that institutional development affects the preferences of firms for alliance partners. This study demonstrates how the institutional development influences the attractiveness to potential partners.
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Carlos A. Sandoval and Olaf N. Rank
Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, the main purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of cognitive factors on the intention of a small and medium size enterprise…
Abstract
Purpose
Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, the main purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of cognitive factors on the intention of a small and medium size enterprise (SME) manager to pursue the expansion of their firm’s export activities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors created a research model and collected empirical data among owners and top managers of 127 Costa Rican SMEs. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques to reveal the relative significance and strength of the effects of every hypothesized relationship.
Findings
The results suggest that the perception of benefits and self-efficacy influence managers’ intentions to expand export activity. Managers’ intention to expand export activity, in turn, is associated with the levels of export commitment exhibited by the SMEs. None of the control variables seem to impact managers’ intentions.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study underline that the export development of a SME is to a large extent only possible if the manager’s perception of control over the export achievements is perceived to be high. SME managers need maximize their perceived level of controllability over firm’s export operations and achievements. This study relied on self-report data. Self-reports are the conventional method for assessing constructs regarding beliefs, and motivations of an individual. Its use in entrepreneurship research is proved to be reliable. However, the authors have to acknowledge that using self-report data carries the risk of common methods bias.
Practical implications
SMEs managers might benefit from strengthening the sense of self-efficacy regarding international business based on the results of this study.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence suggesting that a manager’s cognitive characteristics play a crucial role in understanding export expansion of a SME. The results encourage future research to incorporate cognitive theoretical frameworks to examine factors determining international entrepreneurial intentions.
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Oliver Rossmannek and Olaf Rank
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of alliance portfolio internationalization (API) on firm performance in the context of exploitation alliances.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of alliance portfolio internationalization (API) on firm performance in the context of exploitation alliances.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypothesis is tested by applying a panel regression using a sample of 64 airlines over a nine years period.
Findings
As a result, the study finds a U-shaped relationship between API and firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
The results are particularly relevant for firms using many exploitation (e.g. marketing) alliances.
Practical implications
In the context of exploitation alliances, managers should focus either on local partners or to take advantage of partners with a high degree of foreignness. Stuck in the middle seems to be not advantageous.
Originality/value
Previous work found an S-shaped relationship between portfolio internationalization and firm performance while concentrating on exploration alliances. In contrast, this study shows that exploitation alliance portfolios do not experience a decline of firm performance at high levels of portfolio internationalization.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the arrangements and institutions that have been put in place at both the transnational and the national levels to fight fraud against the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the arrangements and institutions that have been put in place at both the transnational and the national levels to fight fraud against the European budget. It also seeks to consider the experiences of two new Member States, Romania and the Czech Republic, in seeking to build effective anti‐fraud structures and to co‐operate effectively with Brussels.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi‐structured interviews are undertaken with officials of the European Anti‐Fraud Office (OLAF), as well as with officials in both Romania and the Czech Republic. A review of secondary materials such as official reports and academic articles is also undertaken.
Findings
The fight against European Union (EU) fraud is hampered by a number of factors. Fragmentation occurs at different levels, transnational, national and legal. The lead transnational agency OLAF has not been given the support it requires and has been subjected to a long period of uncertainty regarding its powers and responsibilities. New Member States have been admitted to the EU, but some of them have not been ready in terms of their ability to tackle fraud effectively. These problems are to a large extent self‐inflicted, and make the fight against fraud all the more complex and difficult.
Originality/value
The paper provides an insight into the difficulties facing both OLAF and the agencies of new Member States in terms of fragmentation and seeking to acquire investigative and other technical skills in a very short period of time. It is an addition to a body of literature which is not particularly extensive.
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The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of the European Anti‐Fraud Office, OLAF, in the fight against EU fraud and to consider the difficulties and problems it has to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to consider the role of the European Anti‐Fraud Office, OLAF, in the fight against EU fraud and to consider the difficulties and problems it has to contend with in attempting to carry out its mission.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach adopted was to carry out a number of semi‐structured interviews with relevant officials and to review secondary materials such as reports by the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors and OLAF itself.
Findings
The paper finds a high degree of both organisational and legal fragmentation as well as difficulties caused by the personnel policies of the European Commission leading to a significant staff turnover often in the midst of complex investigations.
Originality/value
It provides an insight into the difficulties faced by OLAF such as the degree of fragmentation with a multiplicity of agencies involved in the fight against fraud and is a contribution to an area, which does not contain a great amount of academic literature.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which the (changing) European Union (EU) constitutional context impacts on the investigation of fraud affecting the EU…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which the (changing) European Union (EU) constitutional context impacts on the investigation of fraud affecting the EU budget, with a focus on fraud affecting expenditure.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on legal issues perceived by a European law specialist working within OLAF. The legal framework and several cases are used to illustrate various difficulties in operational work. First of all, the paper argues that cooperation between EU bodies such as Europol, Eurojust, the European Judicial Network and European Anti‐Fraud Office (OLAF) is not yet optimal. Nor is the legal framework for OLAF's work. Internal blockages exist. This is illustrated in relation to a number of operational issues.
Findings
The paper argues that much has been achieved through secondary legislation in the criminal law sphere under the Treaty of Nice but real difficulties continue at the operational level. As far as operational cooperation, effectiveness and defence rights are concerned, some of the legal problems and internal blockages identified here can be removed regardless of the eventual situation in relation to the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor.
Research limitations/implications
The paper focuses on legal problems and blockages experienced by OLAF investigators in the present legal framework.
Practical implications
The paper should be of interest to anyone engaging in the study of anti‐fraud enforcement and to investigators and prosecutors.
Originality/value
The paper provides an insight into European Commission anti‐fraud enforcement.
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Amr ElAlfy, John Quigley, Leilei Tang, Youssef Al Hariri and Olaf Weber
With the recent conclusion of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 28 in the United Arab Emirates, this study aims to investigate the tweeting behaviour of firms…
Abstract
Purpose
With the recent conclusion of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) 28 in the United Arab Emirates, this study aims to investigate the tweeting behaviour of firms surrounding COP events. The authors analyse the environmental, social and governance (ESG) tweets from the COP 26 and COP 27 events, aiming to deepen the understanding of the complex relationships between social media communication, industry characteristics and financial performance. This timely analysis is critical for assessing how the latest global discussions on climate change are influencing corporate communication strategies on sustainability, offering fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of ESG engagement in the context of these pivotal international meetings.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors embrace a grounded theory approach to gain insights into the ESG and sustainability initiatives presented by companies on social media, with an intensified focus on climate change discourse. Leveraging advanced social media analytics, this study expands its scope by conducting a thorough examination of ESG-related tweets from Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 companies. In addition, the authors explore the relationships between such communication efforts and financial performance, applying an advanced cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) model. This methodological enhancement enables a more sophisticated understanding of how ESG communication on Twitter correlates with, and potentially influences, a firm’s market valuation and financial health, offering invaluable insights into the strategic importance of digital sustainability discourse.
Findings
The research findings introduce four novel distinct groups – Unengaged, Catalysts, Cautious and Shapers – based on firms’ proactive or reactive sustainability communication patterns. The results explore the potential impact of COP event locations on tweeting behaviour, proposing that conferences held in different regions, such as Asia versus Europe, may elicit varied reactions from S&P 500 firms. Despite no significant inter-industry differences in tweeting habits, the authors discover a significant link between firms’ financial metrics, specifically CARs, and their categorised communication styles. The results challenge the simplistic view that higher social media engagement leads to positive financial outcomes, suggesting instead that lower financial performance may drive firms to adopt more extreme communication patterns, possibly as a strategic move to enhance corporate legitimacy.
Originality/value
This study offers new insights into how companies use social media during significant climate change events, namely, COP events. By classifying firms according to their ESG communication approaches, the results reveal uncharted correlations between how companies communicate on social media, namely, Twitter, and the correlation to financial performance.
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Managing a library instruction program at a small liberal‐arts college has many challenges. Programs at such institutions often have limited financial resources and are maintained…
Abstract
Managing a library instruction program at a small liberal‐arts college has many challenges. Programs at such institutions often have limited financial resources and are maintained under difficult staffing conditions. This study examines the effectiveness of an instruction program offered at a four‐year liberal‐arts college with fewer than 3,000 students. The research was designed to assess the effectiveness of the current program and measure it against a pilot group of students exposed to enhanced information literacy opportunities based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Working with five faculty members, information literacy goals were clearly articulated and implemented into nine sections of first‐year writing and speaking courses. Bibliographic analysis, an information literacy questionnaire, and an in‐class writing exercise were used to determine whether students in the pilot groups performed better than students receiving the program’s customary library training.
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Pall Rikhardsson, Stefan Wendt, Auður Arna Arnardóttir and Throstur Olaf Sigurjónsson
This paper asks the question of whether more environmental uncertainty affects the design of performance measurement systems in terms of a greater variety of performance measures…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper asks the question of whether more environmental uncertainty affects the design of performance measurement systems in terms of a greater variety of performance measures and whether this leads to more management satisfaction with the performance measurement system and improved firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Information processing theory is used to frame the hypotheses and findings. A questionnaire was sent to the 300 largest companies in Iceland, where environmental uncertainty has been prevalent.
Findings
The results indicate that increased uncertainty leads to a larger variety of non-financial performance measures, such as customer measures. A positive relationship is found between management satisfaction with the performance measurement system and firm performance. However, the variety of performance measures was not linked to management satisfaction or firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
The results suggest that managers increase the variety of performance measures when uncertainty increases. However, it is not the variety itself that increases management satisfaction or improves firm performance.
Practical implications
Performance measurement design is affected by environmental uncertainty. Managers focus on important stakeholder groups such as customers under such conditions and can consult research and practice for the purpose of customer relationship management and customer profitability measurement to improve measurement selection.
Originality/value
This work focusses on performance measurement system design, examining the use of more than 50 different performance measures, and differentiates between small and medium-sized firms and between service and non-service firms.
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Large regional differences in Slovakia existed already at the beginning of the 20th century, which resulted in emigration mainly from the east of the territory. The subsequent…
Abstract
Large regional differences in Slovakia existed already at the beginning of the 20th century, which resulted in emigration mainly from the east of the territory. The subsequent popularity of the communist regime is explained by a successful reduction in the regional disparities and increased well-being of the inhabitants. The transformation since 1990 ignored important regional differences among the Czech and Slovak regions and this led to the disintegration of Czechoslovakia. Governance structures in Slovakia remained centralized. This harmed the welfare – weaker economic performance of the regions and worse results of the labor market. The underutilization of the economic potential of regions has consequently slowed down the catching up at the national level. Slovakia thus so far missed the opportunity to use transfers from the European Union more productively. In recent years, however, there has been some progress in changing the unsatisfactory model of public governance to a more modern one, with much greater decision-making and financial autonomy for the regions.