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Showing papers in "International Journal of Social Economics in 2014"



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the relationship between commercial bank lending terms, financial literacy and access to formal credit by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between commercial bank lending terms, financial literacy and access to formal credit by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach – In this cross-sectional study, the authors surveyed 384 business owners or managers of SMEs in Uganda. The authors applied confirmatory factor analysis to reduce the number of factors and identify the important elements that capture commercial lending terms, financial literacy and access to formal credit. The authors put forward and tested two hypotheses relating to the significance of the relationship between perceived commercial bank lending terms, financial literacy and access to formal credit using structural equation modelling with analysis of moment structures 18. Findings – The results suggest a positive and significant relationship between perceived commercial bank lending terms, financial literacy and access to formal credit. Moreover, the ANOVA results serendipitously show...

74 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the effects of Islamic financial development and conventional financial development on the economic growth for five GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar Saudi Arabia and UAE).
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the effects of Islamic financial development and conventional financial development on the economic growth for five GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar Saudi Arabia and UAE). Design/methodology/approach – Using generalized least squares, OLS and panel data frameworks, this paper employs different measures of financial development for the period (1996-2011). Findings – Empirical results strongly support the hypothesis that Islamic finance leads to growth in the five GCC countries, however, no significant relationship observed between conventional financial development and growth. Practical implications – The findings of this paper suggest the need to accelerate the financial reforms for Islamic finance that have been launched in the region since the last decade and to improve the efficiency of these countries’ Islamic financial systems to stimulate saving/investment and, consequently, long-term economic growth. Originality/value – This study has several c...

65 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Basak Kus1
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the role of neoliberal reforms in the development of the informal economy in Turkey and argue that the legal rules that constrain the operation of market forces decreased giving way to more entrepreneurial activity; while the state's effectiveness in "policing" the market declined.
Abstract: Purpose – The informal economy has expanded across developing countries during the last decades. Focussing on the Turkish case, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of neoliberal reforms in this development. The author argues that neoliberal reforms produced a double-edged transformation in the regulatory environment of Turkey. On the one hand, the legal rules that constrain the operation of market forces decreased giving way to more entrepreneurial activity; while on the other hand, the state's effectiveness in “policing” the market declined. As the regulatory barriers to private entrepreneurship decreased, the regulatory barriers to informality also decreased. Private sector growth and informalization emerged as the concomitant outcomes of neoliberal reforms. Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines how the state's changing regulatory relationship to the private sector under neoliberal reforms fostered informal economic activities through a close study of the Turkish case. Findings ...

42 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the determinants of job satisfaction in Italy with particular emphasis on social relations were investigated based on four waves (1993, 1995, 1998 and 2000) of the Multipurpose Household Survey conducted annually by the Italian Central Statistics Office.
Abstract: This paper investigates the determinants of job satisfaction in Italy with particular emphasis on social relations. Our econometric analysis is based on four waves (1993, 1995, 1998 and 2000) of the Multipurpose Household Survey conducted annually by the Italian Central Statistics Office. The results of ordered probit regressions and robustness tests show that volunteering and meetings with friends are significantly and positively correlated with job satisfaction, with religious participation playing the biggest role. Our findings also show that meetings with friends increase job satisfaction through self-perceived health.

37 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the formation of social capital through development of human capital that is created through improvement of schooling and/or social inclusion has been discussed, which is the basis for inclusive growth.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse inclusive growth that focuses on the creation of opportunities for all. Inclusive growth allows people to contribute to and benefit from economic growth, while pro-poor growth approaches focusing on welfare of the poor only to reduce inequality. Design/methodology/approach – Social capital forms with the development of human capital through schooling. Educated individuals are interested in dialogue and conversation. Interaction enables people to build trust, confidence and cooperation, to commit themselves to each other (i.e. reciprocity), and thereby to knit the social fabric. This study deals with the formation of social capital through development of human capital that is created through improvement of schooling and/or social inclusion. Creation of human and social capital is the basis for inclusive growth. Findings – Recently, economics literature incorporates social capital for explaining regional disparities. Economic development of country depends o...

35 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors revisited the debate on the contribution of higher education (HE) to the economy which has been dominated by human capital theory and signalling theory, and they used recent advances in our understanding of the graduate employability to reassess the two theories.
Abstract: Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to revisit the debate on the contribution of higher education (HE) to the economy which has been dominated by human capital theory and signalling theory. Human capital theory contends that HE contributes by adding to the potential productivity of graduate employees. Signalling theory, asserts that HE contributes by enabling employers to differentiate potentially productive graduate employees. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses recent advances in our understanding of the graduate employability to reassess the two theories. Most graduate job vacancies are open to graduates of any subject and the key to employment in such jobs appears to be the graduate propensity to learn in employment. Findings – HE both increases students’ propensity to learn in employment and signals to employers that graduates are people with a high propensity to learn in employment. Practical implications – The conclusion is that for the four key stakeholder groups, the economic value of ...

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the impact of corruption as an important element of weak governance, with control variables such as inflation rate, openness to trade and dependency ratio on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita income of nine selected countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of corruption as an important element of weak governance, with control variables such as inflation rate, openness to trade and dependency ratio on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita income of nine selected countries in Asia and the Pacific. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on an annual panel data covering the period from 1985 to 2012, and a simple multiple regression for empirical investigation is used. Both fixed effects and random effects models were used as analytical techniques. Findings – The study reveals that both corruption and inflation rate are negatively related to GDP per capita and are statistically significant. As to the impacts of the control variables i.e., dependency ratio is found to be negative and openness to trade to be statistically significant which shows a positive impact on GDP per capita. Practical implications – The results resoundingly confirmed the importance of good governance, therefore, reduc...

31 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of the deductible-premium ratios on customers' attitudes toward insurance frauds and studied the relationship among the experience of applying claims, the reasons customers accept insurance fraud, and customers' intentions to carry out frauds.
Abstract: Purpose – Although research on insurance frauds has found that deductible amount influences customers’ attitudes toward insurance frauds, very little work has further investigated the roles of deductible-premium ratios and insurance experiences. Building on the foundations of Adams' equity theory, the authors examined the impact of the deductible-premium ratios on customers' attitudes toward insurance frauds. The authors also studied the relationship among the experience of applying claims, the reasons customers accept insurance frauds, and customers' intentions to carry out frauds. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Survey was used, and the sample of this study comes from the full-time civil servants at the Agricultural Research Institutes in Taiwan. Findings – The results showed that the deductible-premium ratios may relate to the responders’ perceptions of insurance frauds. In addition, the reasons customers accept frauds were also the influential predictors of the cu...

27 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between financial development indicators and human development in India using annual data from 1980-2012 using Ng-Perron unit root test to check for the order of integration of the variables.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial development indicators and human development in India using annual data from 1980-2012. Design/methodology/approach – The Ng-Perron unit root test is used to check for the order of integration of the variables. The long run relationship and short run dynamics are examined by implementing the ARDL bounds testing approach to co-integration. Granger’s non-causality test and variance decomposition techniques are also used to examine the impact of financial development indicators on human development. Findings – The results confirm a long run relationship among the variables. The results of granger non causality indicate that unidirectional causality runs from financial development indicators to human development index (HDI). The variance decomposition analysis shows that among all the financial indicators, broad money supply (M3) has the largest contribution to changes in human development in India. Research limitations/impli...

26 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the impact of inward FDI and international trade on economic growth in Turkey for the post-liberalization period (1980-2010) was analyzed using the vector auto-regression model.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade on economic growth in Turkey for the post-liberalization period (1980-2010). Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs the vector auto-regression model with four variables: real GDP growth, real inward FDI, the real import volume index and the real export volume index. Findings – Empirical results suggest a relationship between economic growth, inward FDI and exports. Practical implications – The results derived in this paper shed light on the relationship between FDI and international trade on economic growth for Turkey, which has been applying an export-led growth strategy since 1980, and has been implementing many regulations to attract foreign capital. It is evident that although Turkey's efforts and the importance of this issue, new policies and stabilization regulations must be established for the Turkish economy. Originality/value – This study contributes to the liter...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether initial levels in GDP growth, GDP per capita growth and inequality adjusted human development matter in the impact of aid on development and concluded that high-growth countries are more likely to benefit from development assistance than their low-growth counterparts.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether initial levels in GDP growth, GDP per capita growth and inequality adjusted human development matter in the impact of aid on development. In substance its object is to assess if threshold development conditions are necessary for the effectiveness of foreign aid in Africa. Design/methodology/approach – The panel quantile regression technique enables us to investigate if the relationship between development dynamics and development assistance differs throughout the distributions of development dynamics. Findings – Three main findings are established. First, with slight exceptions, the effectiveness of aid in economic prosperity (at the macro level) increases in positive magnitude across the distribution. This implies high-growth countries are more likely to benefit from development assistance (in terms of general economic growth) than their low-growth counterparts. Second, the positive nexus between aid and per capita economic growth displays nonline...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the determinants of corruption control with freedom dynamics (economic, political, press and trade), government quality (GQ), and a plethora of socioeconomic factors in 46 African countries using updated data were assessed.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the determinants of corruption-control (CC) with freedom dynamics (economic, political, press and trade), government quality (GQ) and a plethora of socio-economic factors in 46 African countries using updated data. Design/methodology/approach – A quantile regression approach is employed while controlling for the unobserved heterogeneity. Principal component analysis is also used to reduce the dimensions of highly correlated variables. Findings – With the legal origin fundamental characteristic, the following findings have been established. First, while political freedom increases CC in a bottom quantile of English common-law countries, there is no such evidence in their French civil-law counterparts. Second, GQ consistently improves CC across all quantiles in English common-law countries but fails to exert the same effect in middle quantiles of French civil-law countries. Third, economic freedom ameliorates CC only in common-law countries with low existing ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors stress the importance of using a multidimensional and fuzzy approach in order to study disparities between immigrants and natives, and cover several of the multifaceted aspects of resources necessary to maintain adequate living standards in a developed country.
Abstract: Purpose – Italy has become a migrant receiving country and it has to face with the problem of social inclusion of immigrants. The purpose of this paper is to measure the gap on poverty and deprivation between immigrants and natives since manifest conditions of both of them are an important signal, although not exclusively, of social exclusion. Design/methodology/approach – Poverty analysis typically relies on a single monetary variable such as income and it is characterized by a simple dichotomization of the population into poor and non-poor. In this paper the authors stress the importance of using a multidimensional and fuzzy approach in order to study disparities between immigrants and natives. The authors cover several of the multifaceted aspects of resources necessary to maintain adequate living standards in a developed country. With the fuzzy methodology, the authors also overcome any limitation of the conventional approach based on the simple dichotomization of the phenomenon. Findings – The empiric...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate the extent to which the practice of using personal networks to obtain goods and services or to circumvent formal procedures persists in post-Soviet societies and whether its character has altered.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which the practice of using personal networks to obtain goods and services or to circumvent formal procedures, known as blat in the Soviet era, persists in post-Soviet societies and whether its character has altered Design/methodology/approach – To do this, the prevalence and nature of blat in the education sector in the city of Mykolayiv in Ukraine is analysed using 200 face-to-face structured interviews with a spatially stratified sample of Mykolayiv residents and 30 follow-up semi-structured in-depth interviews Findings – The finding is that blat is widely used to gain places in kindergarten, schools and universities However, unlike Soviet era blat which took the form of non-monetised friendly help in the market-oriented society of post-Soviet Ukraine, both possessing control over access to assets such as education, as well as possessing personal connections to those with control over access to these assets, is increasingly viewed as a

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify nine different eco-innovation activities and ask whether these act as substitutes or complements to one another, such as reducing material use per unit of output, reducing energy consumption, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint, and reducing CO2 footprint.
Abstract: Purpose – Eco-innovation is any form of product, process or organisational innovation that contributes towards sustainable development. Firms can eco-innovate in a variety of ways. The purpose of this paper is to identify nine different eco-innovation activities – including such items as reducing material use per unit of output, reducing energy use per unit of output, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) “footprint” – and the authors ask whether these act as substitutes or complements to one another. Design/methodology/approach – Eco-innovation is any form of product, process or organisational innovation that contributes towards sustainable development. Firms can eco-innovate in a variety of ways. In this paper the authors identify nine different eco-innovation activities – including such items as reducing material use per unit of output, reducing energy use per unit of output, reducing CO2 “footprint” – and the authors ask whether these act as substitutes or complements to one another. Findings – Introducing on...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a representative sample drawn from the population of Barbados was surveyed to determine the psychological, social and economic factors influencing digital piracy, and the results suggest that intentions and willingness to pay (WTP) both have a significant impact on digital piracy.
Abstract: Purpose – Digital piracy is one of the most popular forms of intellectual property theft and is currently recognized as a crime in several countries. This begs the question, if persons are fully informed that digital file sharing is a crime and, if caught, can be legally prosecuted, why do individuals opt to engage in such criminal behaviour? The purpose of the paper is to determine the psychological, social and economic factors influencing digital piracy. Understanding the social and psychological features of digital pirates is necessary if effected strategies are to be developed to deter the practice of digital piracy. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, a representative sample drawn from the population of Barbados was surveyed. The conceptual models were estimated using ordinary least squares multiple regression, Tobit estimation and quantile regression. Findings – The results suggest that intentions and willingness to pay (WTP) both have a significant impact on digital piracy. Intentions are ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between the scale and nature of the PPP contribution as a driver of the economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP) and quantified the dynamic interactions and interdependencies over PPP and economic growth.
Abstract: Purpose – Public-private partnership (PPP) is mutually beneficial relationships that are formed between the public and private sectors. The private-sector partner typically makes a substantial equity investment, and in return the public sector gains access to new or improved services. When properly vetted and structured, PPP allocate risk to the party best suited to handle it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the scale and nature of the PPP's contribution as a driver of the economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP). Design/methodology/approach – Using statistics causality modeling and relevant statistical techniques, the dynamic interactions and interdependencies over PPP and economic growth were addressed and quantified. Findings – Although PPP can free up government resources for other public priorities, three key factors enable PPP to stimulate a country's economic growth: the number of PPP projects under way, the value of PPP projects, and the ideal type of PPP c...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the evolution of business ethics and its implications on doing business in and with Indian companies are discussed. But, the authors did not consider the impact of Indian business ethics on Indian companies.
Abstract: Purpose – Religion and culture can influence ethical behavior in business It is suggested that there has been and continues to be, a deep interrelationship between religion, business ethics, and economic activity in India As India is becoming a major global economic business partner, understanding its unique ethical business infrastructure is gaining in importance The purpose of this paper is to intend to further the understanding of Indian (“Vendantic”) business ethics, as opposed to Greco – Roman business ethics, as the foundation of business culture in India This paper further elaborates on the evolution of business ethics and its implications on doing business in and with Indian companies Design/methodology/approach – The authors undertook a conceptual approach in order to understand the evolutionary process of Indian business ethics in a holistic view in order to understand better its workings and effect on business interaction Findings – The paper explains the constructs of business ethics in

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the role of governments in resolving collective action dilemmas arising in RD and supplemented by firm-level data retrieved from the government official statistics on structural characteristics of SMEs was examined.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of governments in resolving collective action dilemmas arising in RD and supplemented by firm-level data retrieved from the government official statistics on structural characteristics of SMEs. The Mann-Whitney Test of Difference was employed to test the perceived importance of R&D activities in various stages of p...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results from the study show that the effect of the use of technology is both positive and significant, and the coefficients of mobile phone ownership tends to be consistently significant across all four reproductive h...
Abstract: Purpose – Traditionally, the role of technology on health services has been argued from the supply side. The purpose of this paper is to use a demand side perspective to examine the effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the use of maternal health services in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys and binary response regression models to examine the effect of women's access to ICTs on maternal healthcare utilization in Ghana. Three variables on maternal healthcare utilization were employed: use of contraception, antenatal care and place of delivery. Findings – Results from the study show that the effect of the use of technology is both positive and significant. In particular, among the other ICTs (i.e. landline phone, listening to radio, watch television, color television in household, computer in household), the coefficients of mobile phone ownership tends to be consistently significant across all four reproductive h...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of marketing for luxury brands can be re-thought in order to ensure that such brands establish a strong connection between their luxury image and positive social and environmental values.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain how the role of marketing for luxury brands can be re-thought in order to ensure that such brands establish a strong connection between their luxury image and positive social and environmental values. Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based upon qualitative empirical research which informed a new categorisation of consumer motivations, through the application of self-determination theory which shows how concerns for environmental and social sustainability can be integrated with individual psychological needs. Findings – The findings provide a deep understanding of consumers of luxury-eco products which could be used by marketing practitioners to shape socially responsible purchasing decisions. Research limitations/implications – The research was designed for theory building, not theory-testing, so future research would be needed to study the efficacy of the recommended strategies for encouraging eco-luxury behaviour. Practical implications – T...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the role of competition in micro-finance sector in ensuring credit to the ultra poor borrowers, and examined whether government of India is successful to make credit accessible to the poor.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to see whether Government of India is successful to make credit accessible to the poor; to examine the role of competition in microfinance sector in ensuring credit to the ultra poor borrowers; to see the role of subsidy in microfinance movement. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on secondary data. This paper examines, in an analytical framework with a variety of assumptions, the role of microfinance institutes (MFIs) in bringing capital to the ultra poor. Findings – In an attempt to make credit accessible to the poor, Government of India took several measures, but did not succeed to a significant extent. This paper has shown that the microcredit has become accessible to the “working poor,” but not to the ultra poor. Initially the model shows that in the absence of competition MFI and moneylender are equally exploitative to the ultra poor borrowers. The model further shows that in the presence or absence of competition in the credit market, credit may ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The determinants of emigration in the health sector through-out the conditional distribution of health human resource emigration are assessed to provide very targeted policy implications based on income-levels and existing emigration levels for both physician and nurse worker crises.
Abstract: Owing to lack of relevant data on health human resource migration, the empirical dimension of the health-worker crisis debate has remained void despite abundant theoretical literature. A health worker crisis is overwhelming the world. Shortages in health professionals are reaching staggering levels in many parts of the globe. This paper complements existing literature by empirically investigating the WHO hypothetical determinants of health-worker migration in the context of globalization when income-levels matter. In plainer terms, the work explores how the wealth of exporting countries play-out in the determinants of HHR emigration. We assess the determinants of emigration in the health sector through-out the conditional distribution of health human resource emigration. Findings provide very targeted policy implications based on income-levels and existing emigration levels for both physician and nurse worker crises. Beside specific policy recommendations, we also outlined broad policy measures for source-countries, recipient-states and regional(international) institutions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a semi-parametric approach based on a combination of econometrics and linear programming was used to build two stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to estimate production and scale efficiency of maize producing farms in South-Western Nigeria.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to estimate production and scale efficiency of maize producing farms in South-Western Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a semi-parametric approach and uses a combination of econometrics and linear programming to build two stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. Findings – Model findings shows existence of production and scale inefficiencies in maize production. The study concludes that there is still room for efficiency improvements in the existence of the current maize production technology. It also finds several socio-economic variables such as, off-farm work, education, extension services and credit, which positively impact on technical efficiency of farm households. Practical implications – Efficiency indicators could be used to monitor resource use efficiency in crop production by local government. Social implications – Efficiency improvements will increase maize production in the country which in turn reduce social unrest and fo...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the factors that affect a person's choice to work in a specific sector to understand the overrepresentation of women in the nonprofit sector in the USA.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that affect a person's choice to work in a specific sector to understand the overrepresentation of women in the nonprofit sector in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – This study views a sector choice of prime-age salaried workers as a three-way choice among for-profit, nonprofit, and public sectors. One's choice of employment sector in this study depends on extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, and is also shaped by structural factors. These benefits, in turn, tend to be determined by individual characteristics. Consequently, this study estimated the endogenous switching regression of earnings and sector choice. Findings – Results from 2003 to 2007 Current Population Survey (CPS) September supplement data indicate that the so-called “feminine” industries are concentrated in the nonprofit sector, and this gendered industry structure attributes to women's overrepresentation in the sector. The results also suggest that women with more education...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the long-run relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators (GDP growth, GDP per capita, inflation and unemployment) and determined the direction of causality between these variables in Pakistan.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is two folds: first, to analyze the long-run relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators (GDP growth, GDP per capita, inflation and unemployment) and second, to determine the direction of causality between these variables in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – The relationship between terrorism and various macroeconomic indicators is analyzed by applying Johansen cointegration analysis. Furthermore, the causality between terrorism and macroeconomic indicators is tested by applying Toda Yamamoto Granger causality test. Findings – The results show that there exists a long-run relationship between terrorism and key macroeconomic indicators. Furthermore, the results suggest that there exists a bi-directional causality between terrorism and inflation. The causality between GDP per capita, unemployment, GDP growth and terrorism is unidirectional. Originality/value – There is a lack of research work conducted to analyze the long-run relationship and dir...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate how social network capital may facilitate agricultural household market access in Uganda and find that social network investment has significant positive effects on the ability of households to receive higher prices for coffee.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how social network capital may facilitate agricultural household market access in Uganda. Specifically, the paper investigates if social network capital has significant positive effects on the ability of households to receive higher prices for coffee. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, social network capital is modeled using a household utility maximisation problem that is dependent on consumption and social interactions. The authors assume that social network capital mediates economic benefits through its effect on information flow, market intelligence and collective bargaining. The paper uses two-stage least square econometric methods to investigate whether group involvement at the household level helps farmers to access markets with higher prices. Findings – The findings indicate that social network capital, measured in form of density of participation and attendance score, and multiplicative and additive indices of these, have significant...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate a second round of intensive green community entrepreneurship, a form of social entrepreneurship, by a set of environmental service organizations (ESOs) facing the loss of their largest revenue source (the ecoENERGY program), to see if it differed from responses to a similar funding cut five years earlier.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate a second round of intensive green community entrepreneurship, a form of social entrepreneurship, by a set of environmental service organizations (ESOs) facing the loss of their largest revenue source (the ecoENERGY program), to see if it differed from responses to a similar funding cut five years earlier. In particular, the study compared green community entrepreneurship rates and types to those of the previous program (EnerGuide for Houses) cancellation and examined the perceived importance of various factors, including a social entrepreneurship training program offered by the national association. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were held with executive directors who had led their organization through both periods of financial crisis. Information was collected on changes in revenue, staffing, residential energy evaluations conducted, service creation, and the perceived importance of organizational factors. The adaptation strategy undertaken ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A case is made that older carers experience the greatest burden and contribute the most to the community when measured by hours supplied and provision of intimate personal care.
Abstract: Purpose – Older people are often perceived to be a drain on health care resources. This ignores their caring contribution to the health care sector. The purpose of this paper is to address this imbalance and highlight the role of older people as carers. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a unique data set supplied by a charity. It covers 1,985 caregivers, their characteristics, type and amount of care provided and the characteristics and needs of those cared-for. Binary and ordered logistic regression is used to examine determinates of the supply of care. Fairlie-Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions are used to disentangle the extent to which differences in the supply of care by age are due to observable endowment effects or coefficient effects. Nationally representative British Household Panel Survey data provide contextualization. Findings – Older caregivers are more intensive carers, caring for longer hours, providing more co-residential and personal care. They are therefore more likely to be in gre...