Lin Fu, Rui Long, Xiaohua Sun and Yun Wang
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on pollution emissions and how environmental regulation affects this relationship.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on pollution emissions and how environmental regulation affects this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
In the empirical research, the authors selected panel data for 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2019 as samples. First, the authors used the instrumental variable method to verify the existence of the above hypotheses in China. Then, the authors analyzed the moderating effect of different types of environmental regulations on the environmental effects of FDI. Next, in further discussion, the authors analyzed the difference between the environmental effect and the moderating effect in different time periods and regions, respectively. Finally, the authors discussed whether the different intensities of environmental regulations lead to the transfer effect of FDI in choosing investment destinations.
Findings
The result shows that FDI can help reduce pollution emissions and create a “pollution halo” effect, which is enhanced by command-and-control regulation but suppressed by market-based incentives. The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party has weakened the pollution halo effect of FDI, while the environmental effect of FDI in the eastern region is not significant, but in the middle and western regions, there is a significant pollution halo effect and a positive moderating effect of environmental regulations. Finally, further analysis reveals that FDI has a transfer effect under command-and-control environmental regulations.
Research limitations/implications
First, the main purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between FDI and pollution emissions from the perspective of heterogeneous environmental regulation. Therefore, there is no detailed discussion on their effect mechanism of them. Second, limited by data, the authors adopt the single index to measure the stringency index of command-and-control and market-based incentive environmental regulations in China. The single index may not be able to fully reflect the intensity of regional environmental regulation, so the construction of a composite indicator is necessary. These shortcomings are the focus of the authors' future research.
Practical implications
Under the guidance of high-quality development, the conclusions above can provide reference for adjusting FDI policies and improving environmental regulation policies.
Originality/value
The innovations in this paper can be summarized as the following four dimensions: First, the authors use the instrumental variable (IV) method to address endogeneity in the relationship between FDI and pollution emission, which can further ensure the robustness of the research results and increases the credibility of the paper. Second, the authors distinguish between two types of environmental regulations to investigate their moderating effect on the environmental impact of FDI. Third, the authors consider the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of both the environmental effects of FDI and the moderating effect of regulation. Last, the authors analyze the spatial spillover of environmental regulation through the study of the transfer effect.
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Dimitrios Vortelinos, Konstantinos Gkillas (Gillas), Costas Syriopoulos and Argyro Svingou
The purpose of this paper is to examine the inter-relations among the US stock indices.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the inter-relations among the US stock indices.
Design/methodology/approach
Data of nine US stock indices spanning a period of sixteen years (2000-2015) are employed for this purpose. Asymmetries are examined via an error correction model. Non-linear inter-relations are researched via Breitung’s nonlinear cointegration, a M-G nonlinear causality model, shocks to the forecast error variance, a shock spillover index and an asymmetric VAR-GARCH (VAR-ABEKK) approach.
Findings
The inter-relations are significant. The results are robust across all types of inter-relations. They are highest in the Lehman Brothers sub-period. Higher stability after the EU debt crisis, enhances independence and growth for the US stock indices.
Originality/value
To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study to examine the inter-relations of US stock indices. Most studies on inter-relations concentrate on the portfolio analysis to reveal diversification benefits among various asset markets internationally. Hence this study contributes to this literature on the inter-relations of a specific asset market (stock), and in a specific nation (USA). The evident inter-relations support the notion of diversification benefits in the US stock markets.
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Philip Hider, Lisa M. Given and Paul Scifleet
The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an audit of community information (CI) portals to provide an overview of how CI is being organised and presented on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an audit of community information (CI) portals to provide an overview of how CI is being organised and presented on the web by aggregating services, and how CI is being shaped and shared in community networks. It also investigates the role that public libraries play in online CI provision.
Design/methodology/approach
The research sampled CI portals online within the Australian web domain (.au). An audit of 88 portals was undertaken to establish the scope, role and usefulness of the portals. The audit included a comprehensive usability analysis of a sub set of 20 portals evaluated for 20 different heuristics based on Nielsen's heuristic model.
Findings
The research finds that the challenge facing portals is not a lack of information, it is the need to improve the mediation between the community services and people that CI portals promise useful and usable information for. While public libraries remain integral to the provision of CI in their geographical area, they now form part of a larger online network for CI provision, involving a wide range of organisations.
Originality/value
The paper discusses the ways CI portals contribute to the provision of information about community services and identifies areas where improvements are needed. In particular, it discusses how these sites function as part of larger CI networks and where more innovative, and more standardised, design could lead to greater levels of engagement and utility.
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Liping Fu and Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol
Anchored on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines the direct impact of psychological capital (PsyCap) on the level of burnout experienced by Chinese…
Abstract
Purpose
Anchored on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines the direct impact of psychological capital (PsyCap) on the level of burnout experienced by Chinese expatriates working in Thailand. The social support offered by host country national (HCN) coworkers is postulated as the mediator that might transfer the impact of PsyCap on burnout. In addition, this study taps whether Chinese expatriates' personal factors, including gender and host language proficiency, might intensify or attenuate the role of PsyCap on HCN coworker support.
Design/methodology/approach
From the Chinese expatriates who are working for 15 Chinese subsidiaries in Thailand, 413 valid questionnaires were collected. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis.
Findings
The result confirms a negative linkage between PsyCap and burnout, with HCN coworker support as the partial mediator. Furthermore, the moderation estimation reports that the positive role of PsyCap on HCN coworker support is particularly attenuated for the Chinese expatriates who are female and who have a high level of host language proficiency.
Originality/value
The finding of this study offers additional knowledge to the literature by utilizing the COR theory to elucidate the mechanism under which PsyCap can protect the expatriates from burnout through the mediator of HCN coworker support. The study also reveals that the beneficial role of PsyCap in facilitating the availability of HCN coworker support could be contingent on some personal factors relating to the Chinese expatriates.
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Wu Ci-sheng and Zhou Zhen
Labour relations management, business management, HRM, focusing on the labour relations of Chinese enterprises.
Abstract
Subject area
Labour relations management, business management, HRM, focusing on the labour relations of Chinese enterprises.
Study level/applicability
This case is designed for students in schools of business or management, undergraduate MBA or executive MBA classes. Students should already have a basic knowledge about Chinese labour relations, HRM, and organizational development.
Case overview
In 2004, a deal transformed Anhui Xuanjiu Group from a state-owned enterprise (SOE) to a private company. Li Jian, the Chairman of Xuanjiu Group, focused on creating happiness for employees. Thanks to Li Jian's efforts, Xuanjiu emrged from its crisis which was formed in the planned economy system. After several years of development, the labour relations management of Anhui Xuanjiu Group became a model among private enterprises in China.
Expected learning outcomes
Students can gain new insights into labour relations in China. The case provides an example of building friendly labour relations to avoid labour disputes. It provides a set of measures for retaining and motivating workers.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the corrosion inhibition potential of Calotropis procera in sulphuric acid medium on mild steel with a view to developing green corrosion…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the corrosion inhibition potential of Calotropis procera in sulphuric acid medium on mild steel with a view to developing green corrosion inhibitors.
Design/methodology/approach
Extract of the C. procera was studied for its corrosion inhibitive effect by weight loss, electrochemical, SEM and UV methods. Using weight loss measurement data, mechanism of inhibitive action is probed by fitting in adsorption isotherm.
Findings
C. procera has been found to show significant corrosion inhibitive effect in sulphuric acid medium on mild steel. Inhibition is through adsorption of the phytoconstituents on mild steel following Tempkin adsorption isotherm. The results of ac impedance and polarization studies correlate well with the weight loss studies.
Originality/value
The plant has been investigated for the first time for its corrosion inhibitive effect. The effect has been studied by proven methods. This green inhibitor can find use in the inhibition of corrosion in industries where mild steel is used as a material of choice for the fabrication of machinery.
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Alfredo M. Pereira, Rui M. Pereira and Pedro G. Rodrigues
The purpose of this paper, on Portugal, is to determine the economic effects of public and private capital spending on health.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper, on Portugal, is to determine the economic effects of public and private capital spending on health.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a vector autoregressive model to estimate the elasticities and marginal products of health care investments in Portugal on investment, employment and output.
Findings
Every €1m invested in health care yields significant positive spillover effects, boosting investment and GDP by €24.74 and €20.45m, respectively, creating 188 net jobs. Adversely, net exports deteriorate, as new capital goods are imported. While only 28.2 percent of the total accumulated increase in GDP occurs within a year, investment is front loaded with a corresponding 73.8 percent. Over this period, 68 workers are displaced for every €1m invested. At a disaggregated level, real estate, construction, and transportation and storage are industries where output shares increase the most. Employment shares increase the most in professional services, construction and basic metals.
Research limitations/implications
This paper adds to the empirical literature, corroborating, for example, Rivera and Currais (1999a) and McDonald and Roberts (2002) in that health care spending can have a very significant effect on macroeconomic aggregates. In addition to the analysis of the tradable/non-tradable divide, it adds two further novelties by discussing industry-specific effects on economic performance and the distinction between effects on impact and those over the longer term.
Practical implications
As policy implications, health investments have very significant long-term economic performance effects, but are unhelpful counter cyclically. Also, they will change the industry mix: construction and professional services are the non-traded industries that will benefit the most, while the traded industries of non-metallic minerals, basic metals, and machinery and equipment benefit much less.
Social implications
Given that capital spending on health boosts economic performance, especially in the long run, it ought to be a part of Portugal’s medium-to-long-term growth strategy. Also, if these projects depress economic activity in the short run, and are thus unhelpful counter cyclically, the timing of when they are launched matters. Furthermore, following a health investment, policies that boost net exports will be required to ensure trade balance.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper is to estimate, in a dynamic framework, the aggregate and industry-specific elasticities and marginal products on investment, employment and output, allowing the identification of effects both on impact and over the long term. Although health care investments are expected to have important macroeconomic effects, they need not be evenly distributed across industries.
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Zijie Li, Qiuling Gao, Kai Shen and Junyue Zhang
This paper aims to examine different hypotheses concerning the effects of executive incentive on the degree of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) ambidexterity. Specifically…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine different hypotheses concerning the effects of executive incentive on the degree of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) ambidexterity. Specifically, this study provides new insights on how executive equity incentive and executive control right incentive may affect overseas ambidextrous strategy of Chinese enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used panel data of Chinese manufacturing listed companies in 2006-2015 to explore the relationships between related factors. Hypotheses are tested by using regression analysis.
Findings
This study found that executive equity incentive is positively related to the degree of FDI ambidexterity. It also found that the level at which control right incentives of executive are made has a curvilinear relationship with degree of FDI ambidexterity. Higher level of control right incentive of executive will be associated with higher degree of FDI ambidexterity; however, beyond some level, higher control right incentive of executive will be associated with lower degree of FDI ambidexterity.
Research limitations/implications
This paper has implications to future research and companies’ everyday practice on ambidextrous FDI strategy.
Originality/value
Based on the principal-agent framework and incentive theory, this paper offers an interesting insight of achieving balance of ambidextrous strategy for Chinese multinational enterprises by involving the different roles of executive equity incentive and executive control right incentive they played.
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Abubakar Hamid Danlami, Sirajo Aliyu and Ismail Aliyu Danmaraya
The persistent rise in the global discharges of carbon (CO2) emissions and the likely undesirable consequences of this practice on the global atmosphere attracts the attention of…
Abstract
Purpose
The persistent rise in the global discharges of carbon (CO2) emissions and the likely undesirable consequences of this practice on the global atmosphere attracts the attention of policy makers and researchers to argue on the causes and perpetrators of CO2 emissions at international level. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between economic growth, energy production, capital formation, foreign direct investment (FDI) and CO2 emissions in the LMI and Middle East and North African (MENA) countries for the period 1980–2011.
Design/methodology/approach
Two separate autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models were estimated for both the LMI and MENA countries, for the period 1980–2011. Furthermore, a fully modified OLS (FMOLS) was estimated for the two regions over the same period.
Findings
The results indicated that for the lower-middle income countries, there is a positive significant relationship between energy production and CO2 emissions. In the long run while in the short run, FDI and EGP are positively related to CO2 emissions while gross capital formation (GCF) has a negative impact on the CO2 emissions in the short run over the same period. Similarly, for the MENA countries, there is a positive relationship between EGP, GCF and CO2 emissions in both the short run and the long run. Furthermore, the estimated group mean FMOLS indicated that apart from GDP, all other variables have significant positive impact on CO2 emissions.
Research limitations/implications
The study covers only the period 1980–2011. This was because of limited available data during the study.
Practical implications
The study recommended the adoption of green technology by FDI firms and also in the process of energy production such as in crude oil production.
Originality/value
The study carried out a complex analysis where simultaneously all the countries of LMI and MENA regions where considered. Furthermore, separate analysis where conducted for each of the LMI and MENA regions using ARDL model. Variable representing energy production was included in the analysis which was not considered by previous studies. Lastly, FMOLS was estimated for the pooled of LMI and MENA countries which further distinguished the study from the relevant previous studies.