Shafque Aftab, Muhammad Rizwan Yaseen and Sofia Anwar
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the welfare cost resulted from an increase in food prices in the three most populous countries of south Asia (Pakistan, India and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the welfare cost resulted from an increase in food prices in the three most populous countries of south Asia (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh).
Design/methodology/approach
The effect of rising food prices on consumer welfare is analyzed by using the compensating variation technique. The measurement of the total consumer welfare effect requires the estimation of price elasticities which are calculated by using linear approximation version of the almost ideal demand system.
Findings
The results indicate that cereals (wheat, rice) are relatively price inelastic. However, protein-rich food items like chicken and mutton are relatively more income elastic where consumer welfare declines in all countries mainly for cereals and milk, as these food items are relatively less elastic to price fluctuations.
Social implications
Pakistan, India and Bangladesh represent together about 37 percent of the total world undernourished population. This study suggests that government should target the most vulnerable consumers (low-income group) to improve the income level in these countries.
Originality/value
It is the first effort to estimate and compare that how food inflation affects the consumer welfare in the most populated countries of South Asia. This type of study is also important for the policy planners to overcome the welfare cost under different setting of price and income so it is an effort toward this direction.
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Mariam Shahzadi, Muhammad Faraz Riaz, Sofia Anwar and Samia Nasreen
Strengthening the middle class has become a major policy goal in both developed and developing economies due to its social, economic, cultural and political importance. Keeping in…
Abstract
Purpose
Strengthening the middle class has become a major policy goal in both developed and developing economies due to its social, economic, cultural and political importance. Keeping in view the importance of middle class, the purpose of this paper is to measure the size of the middle class in the province of Punjab (the biggest province of Pakistan by population).
Design/methodology/approach
The study calculates a weighted composite index to measure the size of the middle class in the province of Punjab using the microcosmic data set, and the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement 2010-2011 survey data set. The index is composed of five major socioeconomic dimensions, that is, income, occupation, education, lifestyle and housing. The above-mentioned dimensions are weighted through “principal component analysis”.
Findings
The results show that 46 percent of the population of Punjab falls in the middle class. Furthermore, the findings explain that middle class is generally an urban phenomenon in Punjab with relatively high level of education and non-manual occupations.
Originality/value
Only a limited research is available for measuring the middle class in Pakistan. The current research is an attempt to fill this gap by providing some important insight to the research in this area.
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The purpose of this study is to validate the impact of economic and financial development along with energy consumption on environmental degradation using dynamic panel data…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to validate the impact of economic and financial development along with energy consumption on environmental degradation using dynamic panel data models for the period 1980-2010. The study uses three sub-panels constructed on the basis of income level to make panel data analysis more meaningful.
Design/methodology/approach
Larsson et al. panel cointegration technique, fully modified ordinary least squares and vector error correction model causality analysis are applied for empirical estimation.
Findings
Main empirical findings demonstrate that financial development reduces environmental degradation in the high-income panel and increases environmental degradation in the middle- and low-income panels. Hypothesis of the environmental Kuznets curve is accepted in all income panels. Granger causality results show the evidence of bidirectional causality between financial development and CO2 emission in the high-income panel, and unidirectional causality from financial development to CO2 emission in the middle- and low-income panels.
Originality/value
In empirical literature, only a few studies explain the effect of financial development on environment. The present study is an effort to fill this gap by exploring the effect of economic and financial development on environmental degradation.
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Delia Hallberg and Marinus Ossewaarde
2011 marked an extraordinary year in which in cities all over the world, political protest and crowds in the street took over public space, in broad opposition to repressive state…
Abstract
2011 marked an extraordinary year in which in cities all over the world, political protest and crowds in the street took over public space, in broad opposition to repressive state associated with neoliberalism. Since 2011, a “new global cycle of protests” has developed, characterized by public expressions of outrage, fury, and resentment. In Sofia, in early 2013, Bulgarians gathered on the streets, for the first time since 1996–1997. After the first protests in early 2013 diminished, a new and even stronger protest movement developed during the summer of 2013. The aim of this paper is to detect the peculiarities and distinctive traits that are unique to the Bulgarian Summer 2013 protests. It is argued that, although the Bulgarian Summer 2013 movement is part of the “new global cycle of protests,” the Bulgarian protests are characterized by a distinctive struggle for cultural recognition that is partly inspired by Bulgaria’s National Awakening movement that had struggled against the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century.
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Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano, Jorge Linuesa-Langreo, Mercedes Rubio-Andrés and Miguel Ángel Sastre-Castillo
This article focusses on the hybrid strategy, a simultaneous combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. The study aims to examine the impact of hybrid strategy…
Abstract
Purpose
This article focusses on the hybrid strategy, a simultaneous combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. The study aims to examine the impact of hybrid strategy on firm performance through its anticipated positive effects on process and product innovation. In addition, we study the moderating role of adaptive capacity in the direct relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling was used to analyse 1,842 Spanish firms with fewer than 250 employees. We randomly selected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Spain from the Spanish Central Business Directory (2021) database. The overall sample design was based on stratified sampling.
Findings
We found that hybrid strategy is positively related to firm performance and to process and product innovation. Additionally, in firms implementing hybrid strategies, process innovation fostered firm performance. Finally, adaptive capacity strengthened the relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation. This sheds light on how and when hybrid strategy is most effective in fostering SME performance.
Practical implications
We highlight that SMEs need to establish strategies that use diverse resources and capabilities and not just generate competitive advantage using one strategy (cost leadership or differentiation strategy). This requires an agile and flexible systems and structures.
Originality/value
Our research provides novel results by proposing the adoption of hybrid strategies instead of pure strategies (cost leadership and differentiation strategy) as a way for SMEs to survive during crises. Unlike “stuck in the middle” strategies, our study demonstrates the importance of hybrid strategies in a comprehensive model that links them to innovation and firm performance, with adaptive capacity being a determining factor.
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Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano, Mercedes Rubio-Andrés, Jorge Linuesa Langreo and Miguel Angel Sastre-Castillo
For this paper, the authors focus on Porter’s competitive advantage. Hybrid strategy refers to how a firm creates value vis-à-vis competitors by simultaneously relying on lower…
Abstract
Purpose
For this paper, the authors focus on Porter’s competitive advantage. Hybrid strategy refers to how a firm creates value vis-à-vis competitors by simultaneously relying on lower costs and greater differentiation to achieve a competitive advantage. This strategy emphasises both and aims to provide much more monetary value to customers through the combination of reduced cost and a higher rate of differentiation. In addition, this research focuses on family small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), because they have particularities arising from the incorporation of family members both as owners of the SME and in managerial positions. The porpose of this study is to analyse whether the existing differences produced by the role of the family in strategic decision-making and the concentration of family power have a higher impact on performance and innovation than non-family SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling was used to analyse Spanish firms with fewer than 250 employees. This study randomly selected SMEs operating in Spain from the Spanish Central Business Directory (2021) database. The overall sample design was based on stratified sampling.
Findings
SMEs are facing new challenges, and this has led to the emergence of new competitive strategies. Companies have started to combine differentiation strategies with cost strategies to achieve superior performance and better adapt to these changes. This study confirms a positive relationship between the adoption of hybrid strategies and market performance in SMEs. In addition, hybrid strategy reinforces innovation, which has a mediating role between hybrid strategy and market performance. Finally, the findings indicate that family SMEs achieve a greater impact of hybrid strategy on innovation than non-family SMEs. Moreover, innovation plays a mediating role only in the case of family firms, which enhances the relationship between hybrid strategy and market performance.
Originality/value
For SMEs to survive in turbulent environments, this study proposes the adoption of hybrid strategies instead of pure strategies. The novel model links hybrid strategy (as opposed to “stuck in the middle”), innovation and market performance. The research is valuable for owners and managers of family SMEs because this study finds differences in the relationships studied compared to non-family SMEs.
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Rona Nisa Sofia Amriza and Khairun Nisa Meiah Ngafidin
This research aims to develop a robust deep-learning approach for classifying emotion in social media.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to develop a robust deep-learning approach for classifying emotion in social media.
Design/methodology/approach
This study integrates three deep learning techniques: Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Units (BiGRU), convolutional neural networks (CNN) and an attention mechanism, resulting in the Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Units Convolution Attention (BiGRU-CNN-AT) model. The BiGRU captures potential semantic features, the CNN extracts local features and the attention mechanism identifies keywords critical for classification.
Findings
The BiGRU-CNN-AT model outperformed several state-of-the-art emotion classification algorithms. The model was compared against various baselines across multiple emotion datasets, with deep learning methods consistently surpassing traditional approaches. BiGRU and Bi-LSTM networks demonstrated superior performance, particularly when combined with attention mechanisms. Additionally, analysis of execution times indicated that the BiGRU model processed data more efficiently. They were configuring hyperparameters and integrating GloVe word embeddings, which significantly enhanced model performance, with the adam optimizer proving effective for optimization.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the development of a novel framework, BiGRU-CNN-AT, which integrates bidirectional GRU, CNN and attention mechanisms for text-based emotion classification. By leveraging the strengths of each component, this framework significantly enhances accuracy in emotion classification tasks. Furthermore, the study offers comprehensive experimental analyses across multiple emotion datasets.
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Teresa Palrão, Arlindo Madeira, Joice Lavandoski, Rosa Rodrigues and Sofia Lopes
Explore the role of traditional cafés in Lisbon and botequins in Rio de Janeiro in the history and culture of their respective cities, based on an analysis of the comments…
Abstract
Purpose
Explore the role of traditional cafés in Lisbon and botequins in Rio de Janeiro in the history and culture of their respective cities, based on an analysis of the comments published on TripAdvisor.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a mixed methodology, 7,430 evaluations were analyzed, of which 5,473 were for Portuguese cafés and 1,957 for Brazilian botequins. A content analysis and statistical treatment were carried out. A line-by-line analysis was also conducted to code the emotions reported in the customer reviews.
Findings
The analysis categorized the comments into Gastronomy, Nostalgia, History and Heritage, and Quality of Service. Nostalgia garnered the highest percentage of positive comments for both Portuguese cafés and Brazilian botequins. These results emphasize the importance attached to sentimental connections and historical narratives, particularly those associated with notable individuals who frequented these places. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were identified according to the type of establishment, which suggests a consistent pattern between cafés and traditional botequins.
Practical implications
Draws attention to the importance of a collaborative partnership between restaurant owners and tourism authorities. This strategic alliance not only serves to raise the cultural profile of cities, but also generates substantial economic benefits. It also ensures the lasting legacy of these historic establishments, celebrating the past, enriching the present and safeguarding the future.
Originality/value
Studying the cafés of Lisbon and the botequins of Brazil is important not only for understanding the history and culture of these countries but also for analyzing issues related to socialization, identity, artistic expression and urban transformations.
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Grigorios Kyriakopoulos, Stamatios Ntanos and Sofia Asonitou
The purpose of this study is to explore the underlying dimensions of environmental behavior (EB) and examine how environmental education (EE) and ecological sensitivity (ES…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the underlying dimensions of environmental behavior (EB) and examine how environmental education (EE) and ecological sensitivity (ES) motivate the EB of Business Administration and Accounting students (BAS).
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was conducted and a sample of 190 BAS was randomly selected from the departments of Business Administration and Accounting and Finance at the University of West Attica (UNIWA), Greece.
Findings
The analysis was structured upon four underlying components under the EB of the sample: information seeking, recycling, green consuming and active participation. A positive relationship between EB and EE was revealed, while EB and ES were moderately interrelated. An important result was the hesitation of students to convert EE and ES to active participation and green consuming behavior, thus reaffirming similar results from other studies.
Research limitations/implications
The findings should be further developed using larger samples among other higher education institutions. Future research could be extended to students who reside at sub-urban or rural regions or students who are educated upon diverse academic disciplines. The basket of questions can be enriched with issues of immediate concern among future business executives such as the “ethical” role of accountants or the value creation for local societies.
Originality/value
The significance of this study lies on associating students’ EB with formal EE with personality characteristics such as ES. Educational policy-makers can enrich the curricula of BAS with environmentally oriented courses and teaching methods that can increase the active participation of students.
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Riccardo Bellofiore and Scott Carter
Resurgent interest in the life and work of the Italian Cambridge economist Piero Sraffa is leading to New Directions in Sraffa Scholarship. This chapter introduces readers to some…
Abstract
Resurgent interest in the life and work of the Italian Cambridge economist Piero Sraffa is leading to New Directions in Sraffa Scholarship. This chapter introduces readers to some of these developments. First and perhaps foremost is the fact that as of September 2016 Sraffa’s archival material has been uploaded onto the website of the Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge University, as digital colour images; this chapter introduces readers to the history of these events. This history provides sharp relief on the extant debates over the role of the archival material in leading to the final publication of Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities, and readers are provided a brief sketch of these matters. The varied nature of Sraffa scholarship is demonstrated by the different aspects of Sraffa’s intellectual legacy which are developed and discussed in the various entries of our Symposium. The conclusion is reached that we are on the cusp of an exciting phase change of tremendous potential in Sraffa scholarship.