Showing papers in "International Journal of Social Economics in 2008"
TL;DR: In this article, a synoptic survey of empirical analyses about Islamic financial products and services and comparison with the literature on conventional financial services and products is presented, showing that while religious conviction is a key factor in the use of Islamic finance, consumers also identify bank reputation, service quality and pricing as being of relevance.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the attitudes, perceptions and knowledge of Islamic financial products and services.Design/methodology/approach – A synoptic survey of empirical analyses about Islamic financial products and services and comparison with the literature on conventional financial services and products.Findings – It was found that while religious conviction is a key factor in the use of Islamic finance, consumers also identify bank reputation, service quality and pricing as being of relevance. When selecting a financial institution's products and services, business firms usually employ criteria that are more conventional, such as the cost of finance, in their decision making. There is also interest among financial institutions in supplying Islamic financial products and services, but this is mitigated by complications with firm management and a lack of familiarity with business conditions. The concept of risk sharing with borrowers serves as a substantial barrier to most financ...
215 citations
100 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conducted an event-history analysis of return migration of German immigrants and found that highly skilled individuals are more likely to leave Germany than those who are less skilled.
Abstract: Purpose – Because of the increasing importance of immigration for Germany due to the ageing population and the lack of highly skilled in some industries, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the return‐migration of German immigrants.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses the German Socio‐economic Panel to conduct an event‐history analysis of return‐migration.Findings – The analysis reveals that return migration is heavily influenced by country of origin. Individuals from countries with free labour movement agreements with Germany show a considerably higher likelihood of leaving Germany relative to the other countries. The main finding is, with respect to the self‐selection process, that highly skilled are more likely to remigrate than those who are less skilled. In addition, the results give substantial information considering the design of German immigration policy.Originality/value – This paper conducts the first remigration analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model with years of residen...
68 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a multinomial logit model is used to estimate the determinants of schooling and working, combining schooling and work, or doing nothing for 5-17 years old children.
Abstract: Purpose – The objective of this paper is to understand better the determinants of child labour and schooling in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses data from a survey based in rural Bangladesh and considers the children aged 5‐17 years living in rural households in which the mother and father are both present. The sample size is 1,628 children. A multinomial logit model is used to estimate the determinants of schooling and working, combining schooling and work, or doing nothing for 5‐17 years old children.Findings – The results show that the education of parents significantly increases the probability that a school‐age child will specialise in study. The presence of very young children (aged 0‐4) in the household increases the likelihood that a school‐age child will combine study with work. The significant and positive gender coefficient suggests that girls are more likely than boys to combine schooling with work. The children who are sons and daughters of the household‐head, as oppos...
59 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors take the corporate social responsibility from the viewpoint of a believing system, Christianity, in an attempt to bridge a gap in the existing literature and explore the Christians' social responsibilities and their relatedness to the corporate sustainability.
Abstract: Purpose – Engaging corporate social responsibility (CSR) is essential to attain corporate sustainability. This paper aims to take the CSR from the viewpoints of a believing system, Christianity in an attempt to bridge a gap in the existing literature.Design/methodology/approach – Through related literature reviews, research questions asked and grounding in the Christians' sacred text, the author seek to explore the Christians' social responsibilities and their relatedness to the CSR.Findings – This paper highlights the interlocking principles – honoring God, one's neighbor, God's creation, great commissions and eternality concept – that shape the Christians' fundamental approaches toward their social responsibilities. These collective faith driven principles would redefine the existing CSR conceptions in a refined form that the author call a faith‐based CSR.Practical implications – The paper discusses the applications of the faith‐based CSR in the areas of corporate philanthropy, environmental preservatio...
52 citations
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to see how educational philosophies that underlie lecture and case methods of teaching are related to setting course goals, objectives, and contents.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the premise that foundational philosophies, worldviews, or paradigms underlie educational philosophies, and each educational philosophy favors a certain instructional methodology, which in turn implies a certain way or method of instruction.Findings – The findings of this paper are that each educational philosophy favors a certain instructional methodology, which in turn determines not only the way that the instruction is performed but also how course goals, objectives, and contents are set.Research limitations/implications – This paper implies that differences between the underlying world views of lecture and case methods of teaching similarly lead to differences in many other aspects of the teaching and learning process.Practical implications – This paper implies tha...
50 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors constructed a poverty profile for Sri Lanka, and examined the micro-level determinants and correlates of poverty, based on the latest Sri Lanka Integrated Survey commissioned by the World Bank, using three different poverty measures (poverty headcount, average poverty gap and squared poverty gap).
Abstract: Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to construct a poverty profile for Sri Lanka, and examine the micro‐level determinants and correlates of povertyDesign/methodology/approach – The study is based on the latest Sri Lanka Integrated Survey commissioned by the World Bank The unconditional poverty profile was constructed using three different poverty measures (poverty headcount, average poverty gap and squared poverty gap), nested in the Foster‐Greer‐Thorbecke index The conditional poverty profile was constructed on the basis of a multivariate analysis of poverty correlates Partial correlates of poverty are computed using two comparable methodologies First, a logistic regression was estimated, with the probability of a household being in poverty as the dependent variable and a set of economic and demographic variables as correlates Second, the quantile regression approach was utilized to examine the correlates of per capita consumption at different points on the distributionFindings – The empi
49 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the social, economic, and cultural factors that impact satisfaction with life (SWL) in 63 countries and determine empirically the extent to which self-reported SWL truly reflects well-being.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the social, economic, and cultural factors that impact satisfaction with life (SWL) in 63 countries. The intent is to determine empirically the extent to which self‐reported SWL truly reflects well‐being.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional data set of 63 countries in the 1990s is used to develop a model that explains SWL using social, economic, and cultural variables. The regression errors indicate that some countries are inexplicably happy or unhappy. If behavioral variables in these countries, such as suicide and fertility rates, are better explained by the model's fitted values than actual SWL, then cross country comparisons of subjective SWL surveys are invalid.Findings – Social and economic factors explain about 66 percent of the variation in self‐reported happiness across countries. Respondents in former socialist‐bloc countries report surprisingly low levels of SWL given their circumstances while Latin Americans report higher‐than‐expected levels...
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the underlying political philosophy behind the change in the public sector by relating the neoliberal ideology which is driving the reform agenda to the discourse of new public management (NPM).
Abstract: Purpose – Capitalist transformation of the public sector is global phenomenon that affects many countries. This paper seeks to examine recent public sector reforms introduced by the Government of Botswana to improve civil service performance. The underlying political philosophy behind the change in the public sector is explored by relating the neoliberal ideology which is driving the reform agenda to the discourse of new public management (NPM).Design/methodology/approach – A realist social theory is used to explain generative mechanisms and structures that are the driving force behind the change process.Findings – The paper suggests that the public sector provides essential services, which many poor people in the developing world depend on. Consequently, privatisation of public services is more likely to exacerbate poverty and to intensify inequality because the private sector is profit not needs centred. Moreover, these changes will have serious consequences for the workers. Already some have been retre...
44 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of norms and values in the micro-finance sector is studied. And a classification of the sector is proposed, mapping the institutions along two axes: the profit motive (profit vs. not-for-profit) and the decision making style (centralized vs. un-centralized).
Abstract: This article studies the role of norms and values in the microfinance sector. Microfinance projects implemented in India use a wide range of different organizational structures. A classification of the sector is proposed, mapping the institutions along two axes: the profit motive (profit vs. not-for-profit) and the decision making style (centralized vs. un-centralized). Some Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) base their interactions on rigid norms or rules; while others are based on values. We argue that the private sector will tend to produce the operating rules of the microfinance system while the not-for-profit institutions that are using an inclusive decision-making process are more likely to influence the ethical norms in the sector. Nevertheless, this classification is not static as recent events in South-India shows that norms, such as the interest rates, can be politically and emotionally invested to the point that they are about to become values in the sector.
44 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make an effort to quantitatively examine the issue of statistical correlation between growth and poverty variables, through regressing the share of population in poverty on growth rates of countries for which data is available from World Bank surveys.
Abstract: Purpose – To review the literature on the relationship between growth, globalization, and poverty, and present empirical evidence on whether countries registering high growth rates do necessarily succeed in reducing the incidence of poverty.Design/methodology/approach – Notwithstanding data and methodological problems cited in the literature, this paper makes an effort to quantitatively examine the issue of statistical correlation between growth and poverty variables, through regressing the share of population in poverty on growth rates of countries for which data is available from World Bank surveys.Findings – The paper concludes that countries registering high growth rates do not necessarily succeed in reducing poverty, thereby, holding that a wide‐ranging policy approach could be more effective in poverty reduction than the broad‐based growth policy approach.Originality/value – The debate among academics and practitioners over the causal relationship between growth and poverty has not rendered any conc...
TL;DR: In this article, a four point continuum is presented, based on the following types of economies: legal formal, legal informal, illegal informal and illegal criminal, and the concept of supply is broadened out to refer not only to women involved in selling direct and indirect sexual services but the legitimate and illegitimate service industries that are ancillary to the sex industry.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to examine, from a global macro perspective, the relationships between commercial sex, regulatory system and shadow economies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on eight years of research in the sex industries and literature from other sources that explore the nuances of the economic and social organisation of the sex markets in different countries.Findings – First, a four point continuum is presented, based on the following types of economies: legal formal; legal informal; illegal informal and illegal criminal. Second, challenging principles that the sex industry is only “demand” driven, this paper looks at the nature of the sex industry, examining the dynamics of supply in the context of a prolific global shadow sex economy. Third, the concept of “supply” is broadened out to refer not only to women involved in selling direct and indirect sexual services but the legitimate and illegitimate service industries that are ancillary to the sex industry: namely: advertising,...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present both the legal and illegal aspects of the market in antiquities, specifically cultural objects which are transported from source countries to countries where they are sold or auctioned.
Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to present both the legal and illegal aspects of the market in antiquities, specifically cultural objects which are transported from source countries to countries where they are sold or auctioned.Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts by defining the concept of antiquity and then examines the origin of objects, those involved in the market in different capacities, the question of how the origin of objects is examined, and the scope of the market. A number of examples are given as illustrations.Findings – The analysis shows how many different participants are involved in the market globally. Views on how well the provenance of an object needs to be established and on what is cultural theft are changing. However, structural and cultural characteristics of the market mean that it remains difficult to penetrate and is susceptible to organised crime.Research limitations/implications – Space and legal constraints mean that only a few examples can be given and a small number of r...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight the differences in literacy and schooling attainment among the scheduled tribe women in India, using data from the Census of India, Department of Education, and National Human Development Report prepared by the Government of India.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to highlight the differences in literacy and schooling attainment among the scheduled tribe women in India.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses data from the Census of India, Department of Education in India, and National Human Development Report prepared by the Government of India.Findings – The high status of women among the tribal groups in the northeastern states has important effects on the literacy rates, enrollment ratios and dropout rates of girls in that region. High‐poverty rates pose to be significant obstacles in attaining literacy and education among tribal women in India. However, large differences in literacy rates in the various states in India show that social and cultural norms, proximity to the mainstream Hindu culture, and the role of women are also important determinants in achieving literacy among tribal women.Originality/value – Literacy is considered to be an important tool for improving the status of women among the scheduled tribes. A...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors introduce the topic of the informal economy and explore its definition from both economic and criminological standpoints, and reveal the endemic nature of corruption in Ukrainian workplaces and the high levels of informal activity undertaken by workers.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the topic of the informal economy, exploring its definition from both economic and criminological standpoints. It seeks to consider possible linkages with organised crime and the conditions under which these may be facilitated, with reference to the papers in this double special issue.Design/methodology/approach – The papers in this issue are deliberately from different methodological perspectives, in order to illustrate the need for multidisciplinarity to show both the extent of the informal and criminal economies and their links to geographical and social context.Findings – As well as revealing the endemic nature of corruption in Ukrainian workplaces and the high levels of informal activity undertaken by workers the research found that many people wish for their workplace to become more regulated.Research limitations/implications – The issue can only, for reasons of space, explore a number of facets of the informal economy. The nature of the informal e...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine whether education and training affect pro-social behavior of economics students and find that education and trainee students are less prosocial than non-professionals.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether education and training affect pro-social behavior. Economics students are often accused of being less pro-social. The explanations given ar ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors address the much heated debate now raging in the international scene, namely between Islam and the West as two great civilization forces of mankind, by studying it in the light of rigorous analysis involving the world systems of the two paradigms and by subjecting the analysis to mathematical investigation as necessary.
Abstract: Purpose – To address the much heated debate now raging in the international scene, namely between Islam and the West as two great civilization forces of mankind.Design/methodology/approach – The objective is achieved by studying it in the light of rigorous analysis involving the world‐systems of the two paradigms and by subjecting the analysis to mathematical investigation as necessary.Findings – Some specific issues, such as epistemology and the associated phenomenological model, its application for economy, markets, money and globalization are investigated to establish the arguments of the paper.Research limitations/implications – If research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.Practical implications – Some practical implications arising from the theoretical basis of the paper are shown in the areas of money and real economy, globalization and the economy.Originality/value – S...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors outline the cause of global warming, its trends and consequences as indicated by the International Panel on Climate Change and review the views of economists about connections between economic growth and global warming.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the cause of global warming, its trends and consequences as indicated by the International Panel on Climate Change. Sea‐level rise is one consequence of particular concern to Pacific Island states. It also reviews the views of economists about connections between economic growth and global warming.Design/methodology/approach – International efforts, such as through the Kyoto protocol, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their atmospheric concentration are discussed and prospects for post‐Kyoto policies are considered. Ways are also examined of addressing the consequences of global warming for the Pacific Island states. How they will be affected and to what extent is discussed, together with their ability to cope with the emerging problem.Findings – The paper finds that whereas the majority of economists did not foresee a conflict between economic growth and global warming, the possibility of such a conflict is now more widely recognized following the St...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors demonstrate the potential of vulnerability studies of economic activities to study the relationship between organized crime and the economy and illustrate it by examples taken from a vulnerability study of the European waste management industry.
Abstract: Purpose – The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of vulnerability studies of economic activities to study the relationship between organised crime and the economy and illustrate it by examples taken from a vulnerability study of the European waste management industry.Design/methodology/approach – Based on both economical and criminological perspectives a scanning tool for assessing the vulnerability of economic sectors was developed and applied to a specific case.Findings – Sector vulnerability studies belong to the wider family of criminal opportunity approaches, all of which aim to identify areas of current risk and future prevention. Sector vulnerability studies (vulnerability to organised crime and other risks) extend the range by bringing in economic sectors. Although starting from the analysis of the formal economy, sector vulnerability studies can provide insights concerning potential irregularities and opportunities for informal economies to flourish as well.Originality/value – This...
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of 12 police files on the use of hawala banks by perpetrators of crime was carried out and the data gathered from these cases are compared to what has been reported on hawala banking in the existing literature.
Abstract: Purpose – Since 9/11, hawala banking (financial service providers who carry out financial transactions whereby cash, cheques or other valuable goods are accepted at one location and a corresponding sum in cash or other remuneration is paid at another location) has attracted a great deal of attention. Much has been written on the subject, but so far little empirical research has been conducted into the misuse of hawala banking for criminal purposes. This paper aims to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approach – The paper contains an analysis of 12 police files on the use of hawala banks by perpetrators of crime. The data gathered from these cases are compared to what has been reported on hawala banking in the existing literature.Findings – The literature emphasises the importance of trust between client and banker, as well as between hawala bankers themselves. Trust is supposedly based on strong social ties (ethnic and family ties). The 12 cases studied (almost all of which concerned the misuse of hawala b...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the role of household, demographic and environment factors as determinants of early children mortality in Pakistan and employed a sequential model which is based on a sequence of binary choice models for the conditional probability of choosing a higher response category.
Abstract: Purpose – The main purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the relative importance of various socioeconomic factors and maternal care practices which may have significant role in determining child mortality at different level of child ages in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines the role of household, demographic and environment factors as determinants of early children mortality in Pakistan. A number of individual, household and local characteristics are related to the probability of child mortality. This study employed a sequential model which is based on a sequence of binary choice models for the conditional probability of choosing a higher response category.Findings – This study identifies that mother feeding protects children from early exposure to diseases and ill‐health in different ways. It also appeared that mother's education is strongly related to neonatal mortality, infant mortality as well as child mortality not only through the improved child caring practices ...
TL;DR: In this article, empirical evidence was used to investigate the relationship between official development assistance (ODA) and human and educational development in countries in Southeast Asia and found that ODA that is targeted to support socio-economic development has a significant relationship with human development.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relationship between official development assistance (ODA) and human and educational development in countries in Southeast Asia.Design/methodology/approach – In the study described here, empirical evidence was used to investigate the relationship between ODA provided between 1990 and 2004 and its impact on the human and educational development of countries in Southeast Asia.Findings – A review of efforts made over the past 15 years in providing developmental aid reveals that there still remain gaps in the human development dimensions – income, education, and health – within and between countries. Second, real gross domestic product and foreign direct investment have significant associations with human and educational development, while, at the aggregate level, ODA has a significant positive association only with human development. Third, ODA that is targeted to support socio‐economic development has a significant relationship with human development. Fourth, ODA...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors scrutinize the Dutch property market from the angle of crimeinducing conditions and circumstances and conclude that the market is closed, dominated by old boy networks, with possibilities to conceal irregularities.
Abstract: Purpose – The aim of this paper is to scrutinize the Dutch property market from the angle of crime‐inducing conditions and circumstances.Design/methodology/approach – The perspective adopted is in line with recent developments in the study of crime and crime prevention, which focus not so much on perpetrators, as on the opportunities they have to commit a criminal offence.Findings – Despite the exploratory character of the analysis, it can be concluded that the real estate sector lends itself very well to an entwining of regular and irregular activities. Real estate has become booming business, attracting domestic and foreign investment. The market is closed, dominated by old boy networks, with possibilities to conceal irregularities. Regulations, law enforcement and (both formal and informal) control seem to be inadequate. Hence, it is less transparent than other markets and enables legitimate and illegitimate entrepreneurs to meet, co‐operate and share expertise and knowledge.Practical implications – St...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the tensions likely to arise in Pacific Island countries resulting from their high population growth rates and poor agricultural productivity growth, the difficulties of accessing land for commercial purposes, the rapid rate of rural-urban migration, the relatively high numbers of poorly educated, unemployed youth, and the political instability in several of these countries.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the tensions likely to arise in Pacific Island countries resulting from their high‐population growth rates and poor agricultural productivity growth, the difficulties of accessing land for commercial purposes, the rapid rate of rural‐urban migration, the relatively high numbers of poorly educated, unemployed youth, and the political instability in several of these countries.Design/methodology/approach – The approach of the paper is essentially conceptual, linking cultural, economic, and political arguments. There is some review of the relevant literature relating to these aspects of societal behaviour in these countries.Findings – The Pacific Island countries face significant difficulties in achieving economic development, particularly those arising from the tension between their cultural characteristics and commercialization of their economies.Practical implications – For example, this paper points to the limitations of efforts to develop indigenous busin...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the causal links between, foreign direct investment (FDI), openness through trade, poverty, value added of agriculture sector as share of GDP, urban population and child labor by using annual data for Pakistan over the period 1970-2003.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal links between, foreign direct investment (FDI), openness through trade, poverty, value added of agriculture sector as share of GDP, urban population and child labor by using annual data for Pakistan over the period 1970‐2003.Design/methodology/approach – The methodological framework for causality testing is a multivariate vector autoregression (VAR) model. This permits investigation of the importance of factors on the incidence of child labor in Pakistan. More generally, this study seek to establish the causal link between these factors and child labor, which might suggest important implications for eradicating child labor's strategies for Pakistan.Findings – This study presents strong and robust evidence that in the long‐run trade openness raises the output of the exportable sector and increases the demand for child labor as well as the child‐wage. However, FDI is found to lower the incidence of child labor, indicating that because of low l...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the role of private action in overcoming the collective action problem posed by Hurricane Katrina and argue that private recovery efforts within commercial and civil society challenge this assumption.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role private action has played in overcoming the collective action problem posed by Hurricane Katrina.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses the post‐Hurricane Katrina situation with regard to commercial and civil society.Findings – The paper argues that private recovery efforts within commercial and civil society challenge this assumption. Mutual assistance, commercial cooperation, and the redevelopment of key community resources help to overcome collective action problems by reducing the high costs of an early return and by signaling the potential for widespread recovery to individual actors. Though most redevelopment plans assume that a large‐scale government response is the only way to overcome the collective action problem.Originality/value – Even in the absence of a government‐led reconstruction effort, the strategies described in the paper offer Gulf Coast residents tools for solving the collective action problem presented in the wake ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors apply economic and ethical analysis to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina to determine which approaches to disaster relief work best and which should be abandoned, and find that government involvement in disaster relief has proven to be inefficient and also rights-violating.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply economic and ethical analysis to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina to determine which approaches to disaster relief work best and which should be abandoned.Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a combination of narrative with argument and analysis.Findings – Government involvement in disaster relief has proven to be economically inefficient and also rights‐violating. Private sector initiatives and economic and political freedom provide better solutions.Practical implications – The findings point to ways that can improve the economic efficiency of providing disaster relief while also safeguarding property and contract rights.Originality/value – This paper combines economic and ethical analysis and includes discussions from the perspectives of both utilitarian ethics and rights‐based ethics, which is not usually done in the economics literature.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the process of economic development within a Maori context in order to identify successful processes for economic development that can be utilised by Maori for future economic progress.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the study is to investigate the process of economic development within a Maori context in order to identify successful processes for economic development that can be utilised by Maori for future economic progress This study seeks insights into how to set up an appropriate framework to achieve suitable outcomes for these peoples, taking into account their world viewDesign/methodology/approach – The research study followed the tiaki or “mentor” model, where authoritative Maori individuals facilitate the research process To ensure that the individuals interviewed were appropriate spokespeople, and that a variety of views on the topic of Maori economic development was solicited, judgment sampling was utilised to identify a list of potential intervieweesFindings – Maori economic development requires that appropriate structures be put in place and that these structures must involve identifying the Maori community and meeting community aspirations Achieving sovereignty and economic
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the criminal workplace activities of both employers and employees in Ukrainian enterprises and suggest that the practices that can be observed fit into the category of organized crime because of the country's economic framework.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the criminal workplace activities of both employers and employees in Ukrainian enterprises. It challenges traditional definitions of corruption and suggests that the practices that can be observed fit into the category of organised crime because of the country's economic framework. The paper also explores how the practices are partially a legacy of Soviet economic processes. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 700 household surveys were completed in three cities, Kyiv (where 450 surveys were completed), Uzhgorod (150) and Kharkiv (100). To complement these, approximately 25 in-depth interviews were undertaken with workers in each region. Furthermore, ethnographic observations and “kitchen table” interviews also played an important role in the research. Although the research was oriented towards those working in informal economies, business owners (both formal and informal) were also interviewed. Findings – As well as revealing the endemic nature of corruption in Ukrainian workplaces and the high levels of informal activity undertaken by workers, the research found that many people wish for their workplace to become more regulated. Research limitations/implications – Further interviews could have been carried out with state officials and in more locations. The implications are multiple but mainly they demonstrate the difficulty that those charged with economic reform in Ukraine must face. Originality/value – It is one of the first studies to explore these issues in Ukraine using a variety of research methods.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate fishers' willingness and capacity to switch to alternative jobs or livelihoods; and the feasibility of the marine recreation sector to provide alternative employment options for fishers.
Abstract: Purpose – Hong Kong's largely unregulated fisheries are in a state of biological and economic decline. The government has proposed new fisheries management regulations which will likely restrict fishing effort. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate: fishers' willingness and capacity to switch to alternative jobs or livelihoods; and the feasibility of the marine recreation sector to provide alternative employment options for fishers.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted interviews to find out about perceptions and attitudes towards the proposed management regulations, and alternative livelihood options for fishers. They interviewed participants in the fisheries sector (mainly fishers) and the marine recreation sector. A questionnaire was also mailed or faxed to marine recreation businesses throughout Hong Kong.Findings – It was found that up to 75 per cent of fishers interviewed were generally willing to leave the fishery if they were provided with adequate compensation, but they ...