Abstract: The service of passenger waterway transportation lacks economic models that help in designing and implementing strategies to ensure its sustainability in several aspects (economic, social and environmental). The size of costs, though not the only one, is of particular importance in these models. However, traditionally, cost management has been focused only on reducing production costs, for the purpose of companies to keep prices low and gain market competitiveness. Although, with all the technological advances, and other restrictions imposed by the market in terms of service, in the case of passengers waterway transportation: intermodal competition; quality of service; or by regulatory environment for public concession and; in the aspect of business: to stay in the market with natural, demand and institutional restrictions, this view is not enough. Thus, there is an evolution of a traditional cost accounting to strategic cost management. On the other hand, it is important to consider other important dimensions and recognize that companies no longer exist in isolation, but they are part of highly integrated value and supplies chains. Therefore, this work will explore and analyze the sustainable value chain of passenger waterway transportation service using the tools of strategic cost management. The method will start from three components of analysis: (1) definition of basic elements of sustainable value chain; (2) identification of main restrictions to the chain development and aspects critical for service sustainability; (3) development of a cost model and propositions to overcome the bottlenecks found, to add value. Whether in the internal cost structure of the company; operational cost reduction strategies; in search of new markets, or to establish new partnerships or even; in the broadest level, in terms of investments in infrastructure or recommendations involving governance decisions to improve the current institutional environment. The case study will be developed in passenger transport companies located in the Lower Amazon, consolidated in this market, with defined enterprise structure of business sustainability, and who have already been willing to collaborate with the investigation. As results, it is expected to understand the cost structures that support sustainable value chains, namely, costs of activities and relevant cost objects in order to determine the cost drivers, profitability margins, cost reduction opportunities and conditions conducive to competitive advantages related to the different strategic options to cost leadership, differentiation or approach. Finally, in the model to be developed, the proper characterization of cost structure and value creation in transport processes under study may constitute reference points for future more sophisticated applied works of optimizing the resources involved and supporting the decision making, in particular with regard to operations research and quantitative methods more robust.
Abstract: The major purpose of the study was to identify the institutional environments’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of University of the Punjab, Lahore. The target population of the study was teachers of University of the Punjab Lahore. The sample of 235 teachers (155 males, 80 females) were selected through multistage stratified sampling technique. A questionnaire regarding the institutional environments of University SWOT Analysis “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats” was used to collect the required data for this study. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. The first part comprised of the demographic information (faculty, department, gender, teacher rank), while the second part included the statements regarding SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). Reliability index (Cronbach’s Alpha) of the questionnaire was 0.87, which is statistically acceptable. Analysis of the data indicated that there was significant difference in the opinion of respondents. Teachers of Islamic studies and Laws had difference in their opinions regarding the institutional environment strengths, and opportunities and it was supported by the findings of the study. There was significant difference in opinions of male and female teachers regarding strengths and opportunities of university. And there was no significant difference in opinions of male and female teachers regarding weaknesses and threats of university.
Abstract: Several studies have proposed a one-size fit all approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices, such that CSR as it applies to developed countries is adapted to developing countries, ignoring the differing institutional environments (such as the regulative, economic, social and political environments), which affects the profitability and practices of businesses operating in them. CSR as it applies to filling institutional gaps in developing countries, was categorized into four themes: environmental protection, product and service innovation, social innovation and local cluster development. Based on the four themes, the study employed a qualitative research approach through the use of interviews and review of available publications to study the influence of institutional environments on CSR practices engaged in by three renewable energy firms operating in Nigeria. Over the course of three 60-minutes sessions with the top management and selected workers of the firms, four propositions were made: regulatory environment influences environmental protection practice of Nigerian renewable firms, economic environment influences product and service innovation practice of Nigerian renewable energy firms, the social environment impacts on social innovation in Nigerian renewable energy firms, and political environment affects local cluster development practice of Nigerian renewable energy firms. It was also observed that beyond institutional environments, the international exposure of an organization’s managers reflected in their approach to CSR. This finding on the influence of international exposure on CSR practices creates an area for further study. Insights from this paper are set to help policy makers in developing countries, CSR managers, and future researchers.
Abstract: In the study presented institutional context is discussed in terms of companies’ entry mode choice. In contrary to many previous analyses, instead of using one or two aggregated variables, a set of eleven determinants is used to establish equity and non-equity internationalization friendly conditions. Based on secondary data, 140 countries are analyzed and grouped into clusters revealing similar framework. The range of the economies explored is wide as it covers all regions distinguished by The World Bank. The results can prove a useful alternative for operationalization of institutional variables in further research concerning entry modes or strategic management in international markets.
Abstract: The Czech Republic is a country whose economy has
undergone a transformation since 1989. Since joining the EU it has
been striving to reduce the differences in its economic standard and
the quality of its institutional environment in comparison with
developed countries. According to an assessment carried out by the
World Bank, the Czech Republic was long classed as a country
whose institutional development was seen as problematic. For many
years one of the things it was rated most poorly on was its bankruptcy
law. The new Insolvency Act, which is a modern law in terms of its
treatment of bankruptcy, was first adopted in the Czech Republic in
2006. This law, together with other regulatory measures, offers debtridden
Czech economic subjects legal instruments which are well
established and in common practice in developed market economies.
Since then, analyses performed by the World Bank and the London
EBRD have shown that there have been significant steps forward in
the quality of Czech bankruptcy law. The Czech Republic still lacks
an analytical apparatus which can offer a structured characterisation
of the general and specific conditions of Czech company and
household debt which is subject to current changes in the global
economy. This area has so far not been given the attention it
deserves. The lack of research is particularly clear as regards analysis
of household debt and householders- ability to settle their debts in a
reasonable manner using legal and other state means of regulation.
We assume that Czech households have recourse to a modern
insolvency law, yet the effective application of this law is hampered
by the inconsistencies in the formal and informal institutions
involved in resolving debt. This in turn is based on the assumption
that this lack of consistency is more marked in cases of personal
bankruptcy. Our aim is to identify the symptoms which indicate that
for some time the effective application of bankruptcy law in the
Czech Republic will be hindered by factors originating in
householders- relative inability to identify the risks of falling into
debt.
Abstract: This paper constructs a four factors theoretical model of Chinese small and medium enterprises based on the “cartoon characters- reputation - enterprise marketing and management capabilities – protection of the cartoon image - institutional environment" by literature research, case studies and investigation. The empirical study show that the greatest impact on current merchandising rights income is the institutional environment friendliness, followed by marketing and management capabilities, input of character image protection and Cartoon characters- reputation through the real-time grey relational analysis, and the greatest impact on post-merchandising rights profit is Cartoon characters reputation, followed by the institutional environment friendliness, then marketing and management ability and input of character image protection through the time-delay grey relational analysis.