Showing papers in "International Journal of Social Economics in 2015"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provided the first macroeconomic assessment of the mobile phone-inequality nexus and found that mobile penetration is pro-poor, as it has a positive income equality effect.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to complement theoretical and qualitative literature with empirical evidence on the income-redistributive effect of mobile phone penetration in 52 African countries. It deviates from mainstream country-specific and microeconomic survey-based approaches in the literature and provides the first macroeconomic assessment of the ‘mobile phone’-inequality nexus. The findings suggest that mobile penetration is pro-poor, as it has a positive income equality effect. ‘Mobile phone’-oriented poverty reduction channels are discussed.
109 citations
TL;DR: Investigating factors affecting consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for organics in Bangkok indicates that respondents are willing to pay a premium if they have already purchased organic products, have good health, strong ethical and environmental concerns, think that organic products provide greater quality and health benefits, and reside in the city.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for organics. Design/methodology/approach – A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data at five retail stores in metropolitan Bangkok. Exploratory factor analysis and the double-bound contingent valuation method were used for analysis. Findings – Results indicate WTP premiums of 88, 51 and 51 per cent for kale, jasmine rice and pork, respectively. Analysis indicates that respondents are willing to pay a premium if they have already purchased organic products, have good health, strong ethical and environmental concerns, think that organic products provide greater quality and health benefits, and reside in the city. Respondents with children, however, are less likely to pay a premium for organic products. Analysis also indicates that the price premium hinders purchase. Practical implications – Efforts should be made by policymakers, together with marketers and producers, to lo...
84 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors validate the Endogenous Growth Model by examining the impacts of Human Capital (HK) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth in ten countries from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to validate the Endogenous Growth Model by examining the impacts of Human Capital (HK) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth in ten countries from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Design/methodology/approach – For empirical investigation, a linear regression model based on growth theory and panel data set covering the time-period from 1993 to 2011 are used. Fixed and random effects models are applied. On the basis of the Hausman test, the fixed effects model has been preferred over the random effects model. Findings – The results support the hypothesis of the study by confirming that HK development is critical for economic growth. Similarly, FDI has been found to have a facilitating role in promoting growth in the former Soviet Republics now comprising Central Asian independent economies. This is despite of the fact that there are country-specific differences across CIS. Practical implications – The findings suggest that investment climate i...
82 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between financial development and income inequality in India using annual data from 1982-2012 using the auto regressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to examine the existence of long run relationship; and error correction mechanism for the short run dynamics.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial development and income inequality in India using annual data from 1982-2012. Design/methodology/approach – Stationarity properties of the series are checked by using ADF, DF-GLS, KPSS and Ng- Perron unit root tests. The paper applied the auto regressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to co-integration to examine the existence of long run relationship; and error correction mechanism for the short run dynamics. Findings – The co-integration test confirms a long run relationship between financial development and income inequality for India. The ARDL test results suggest that financial development, economic growth, inflation aggravates the income inequality in both long run and short run. However, trade openness reduces the gap between rich and poor in India. Research limitations/implications – The present recommend for appropriate economic and financial reforms focussing on financial inclusion to reduce income...
54 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the financial sustainability of Tanzanian saving and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) and use linear regression to investigate the determinants of financial sustainability.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the financial sustainability of Tanzanian saving and credit cooperatives (SACCOs). Design/methodology/approach – The data set used in this study comes from SACCOs’ audited financial reports for the year 2011. The performance was estimated using return on asset (ROA) and financial sustainability was estimated using the ratio of total expenses to total revenue. Linear regression was used to investigate the determinants of financial sustainability. Findings – The results show that, about 61 per cent of the sample SACCOs is operationally sustainable and 51 per cent of the total sample is both operationally and financially sustainable. The average sustainability score was 127 per cent. On average, the results for profitability (measured by ROA) is higher than some of the results reported for standard microfinance in the region and globally. In terms of sustainability the result forecasts a promising future for financial cooperative business model as an alternat...
54 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors link the evaluation of social enterprise outcomes to individual efficacy beliefs and evaluate the predicted relationship between social outcomes and self-efficacy along multi-dimensional scales.
Abstract: Purpose – Understanding of social values is emerging, particularly as the phrases “social impact” and “social value” and the measurement thereof, are ubiquitous in both practitioner and academic discourse today. These terms are particularly relevant to those involved in social initiatives that are required at some stage to demonstrate to stakeholders, investors, funders, or simply themselves that they have the capability to deliver. The purpose of this paper is to link the evaluation of social enterprise outcomes to individual efficacy beliefs. Design/methodology/approach – The study is survey based (165 respondents) and conducted in two major cities in South Africa, where social entrepreneurship (SE) has unequivocal application. Social outcomes and self-efficacy are operationalized and measured along multi-dimensional scales. After checking the instruments for validity and reliability, correlational and multiple regression analyses are performed to determine the predicted relationship between the specifi...
52 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated factors that determine one's intention to adopt the mobile money space as a savings channel, particularly in place of more traditional ways of saving among many people in West Africa.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the ancient susu savings operation in Ghana and the behavioural intention or willingness of susu collectors and users to adopt a mobile money (MM) platform as part of their savings practices. More specifically, this study investigates factors that determine one’s intention to adopt the MM space as a savings channel, particularly in place of more traditional ways of saving among many people in West Africa. Design/methodology/approach – Using field survey data from market traders and susu collectors in several local markets in Ghana, and applying Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) and Technological Adoption Model (TAM) conceptual frameworks, this study has produced some interesting findings. A logistic regression model was used for the empirical analysis. Findings – Generally, among the susu collectors, the author found perceived risk, education level, relative advantage and the age of the collector to be statistically significant in influencing...
51 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the macroeconomic impact of migrant workers' remittances on economic growth in four developing Asian countries namely: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the macroeconomic impact of migrant workers’ remittances on economic growth in four developing Asian countries namely: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilizes annual time series data over the period 1976-2012 and the ordinary least squares as an analytical technique for parameters estimation. Findings – Empirical results support the existence of a significant positive relationship between migrant workers remittances and economic growth. The other control variables such as foreign direct investment, openness to trade and infrastructure are also found to be statistically significant with expected signs. Practical implications – The findings of this study are expected to guide policy makers in formulating the right and relevant policies through which migrant workers’ remittances can be made more productive and its benefits for both migrants and the country of origin are maximized. Consequently, it will fost...
50 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the significant factors determining foreign direct investment (FDI) in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (ASEAN3) and Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore, and applied the first differencing technique to estimate the parameters on the constructed panel data starting from 2000 to 2011.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significant factors determining foreign direct investment (FDI) in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (ASEAN3) and Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore (ASEAN5) Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies the first differencing technique to estimate the parameters on the constructed panel data starting from 2000 to 2011 Findings – Due to the different stages of economic development between ASEAN3 and ASEAN5, the determinants of FDI are different We found that there are significantly positive effects of infrastructure facility, level of openness, and negative effect of inflation on FDI inflow in ASEAN3; while real exchange rate, gross domestic product and net official development assistance have no effect on its FDI The finding in ASEAN5 showed that market size and infrastructure facility are significant factors to attract FDI Furthermore, even though there are an increase in inflation rate as well as a decrease in level
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conceptualized the sustainability of micro finance institutions (MFIs) in a holistic manner using the technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), an Index of sustainability is built by aggregating multiple indicators (operational selfsufficiency ratio, the average loan balance per borrower and the number of active borrowers) to arrive at composite sustainability score of MFIs.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the sustainability of micro finance institutions (MFIs) in a holistic manner. The idea is to create an index of sustainability for MFIs which includes financial and outreach aspects of sustainability. Further, it also discerns the factors which contribute to high (low) sustainability scores of MFIs. Design/methodology/approach – Data on Indian MFIs was collected from Microfinance Information Exchange database. Using the technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), an Index of sustainability is built by aggregating multiple indicators (operational self-sufficiency ratio, the average loan balance per borrower and the number of active borrowers) to arrive at composite sustainability score of MFIs. Contributory factors of sustainability were identified using a multiple regression model. Findings – The sustainability score for MFIs ranges from a maximum score of 0.80 to a minimum of 0.26. Gross loan portfolio, No. of borrower pe...
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the phenomenon of debt culture in the conventional financial systems and then compare the existing or emerging trends in the Islamic finance industry and provide critical insight into why economic policies that are delinked from some fundamental wisdom about sustainable lifestyle might be increasingly less effective.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of debt culture in the conventional financial systems and then to compare the existing or emerging trends in the Islamic finance industry. It provides critical insight into why economic policies that are delinked from some fundamental wisdom about sustainable lifestyle might be increasingly less effective. Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies various areas of impact of the debt culture and provides qualitative analysis based on relevant data. Findings – The data presented in the paper shows that the Islamic finance industry is clearly biased in favor of debt-creating modes, which is expected to lead to promoting the same kind of debt culture as experienced in the conventional financial system. Research limitations/implications – Finding comprehensive and current data for Islamic financial institutions is a challenging task. The IFIs are not as transparent as their conventional counterparts in sharing relevant data and informati...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the differences in the rural household agricultural income by farmers' education while exploiting a nationally representative household survey data set, i.e., the India Human Development Survey-2005, in a rural Indian context.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in the rural household agricultural income by farmers’ education while exploiting a nationally representative household survey data set, i.e. the India Human Development Survey-2005, in the rural Indian context. The author seeks to answer the question: how much variation in the household net agricultural income per acre of land cultivated can farmers’ education explain? Design/methodology/approach – The author has employed the ordinary least squares regression model with village fixed effects. The author also analysed the data using some exploratory statistics. Findings – The author finds that farmers’ education significantly increases the net household farm income per acre of land cultivated last year. The results are robust to the inclusion of the five educational degree categories (dummies) in lieu of the years of schooling variable. The results are also robust to its decomposition into that for men and for women separately. Women farmer...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the consequences of public debt for economic growth and investment for the Philippines during the period 1975-2010, by using autoregressive distributed lag technique.
Abstract: Purpose – Over the years most of the developing countries have failed to collect enough revenues to finance their budgets. As a result, they have to face the problem of twin deficits and to rely on external and domestic debt to finance their developmental activities. The positive effects of public debt relate to the fact that in resource-starved economies debt financing (if done properly) leads to higher growth and adds to their capacity to service and repay external and internal debt. The negative effects work through two main channels – i.e., “Debt Overhang” and “Crowding Out” effects. The purpose of this paper is to examine the consequences of public debt for economic growth and investment for the Philippines. Design/methodology/approach – The present study examines the consequences of public debt for economic growth and investment for the Philippines during the period 1975-2010, by using autoregressive distributed lag technique. Findings – The results reveal that in the Philippines, public external de...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make use of a counting approach to examine gender issues in Burkina Faso and Togo using household surveys, focusing on six dimensions (housing, basic utilities, assets, education, employment, and access to credit).
Abstract: The importance of gender equality is reflected not only in the Millennium Development Goals, but also in the World Bank's Gender Action Plan launched in 2007 as well as in other treaties and actions undertaken at regional and international levels. Unlike other work on gender and poverty, which is mostly based on monetary measurement, the present study makes use of a counting approach to examine gender issues in Burkina Faso and Togo using household surveys. Focusing on six dimensions (housing, basic utilities, assets, education, employment, and access to credit) largely recognized as Millennium Development Goal targets, the main findings of the study indicate that overall individuals are the most deprived in education in Burkina Faso, while the reverse situation is true in Togo. Gender inequality is observed in all dimensions since women always seem to be more deprived than men. The situation is also marked by regional disparities. Moreover, the assessment of dimensional contributions shows different patterns for each country. While employment proves to be the main contributor of gender inequality in Burkina Faso, three dimensions (assets, access to credit, and employment) account together for most of the total contribution to gender inequality in Togo. There is also a positive correlation between multidimensional deprivation and women's age in Burkina Faso, whereas both measures seem to be uncorrelated in Togo.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an empirical examination of factors associated with over-education among PhD graduates in Italy, based on recently released data collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics by means of interviews with a large sample of PhD recipients.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical examination of factors associated with over-education among PhD graduates in Italy. Design/methodology/approach – The investigation is based on recently released data collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics by means of interviews with a large sample of PhD recipients, carried out a few years after they obtained their PhD degree. The author measured the mismatch between the current job and previous PhD studies using two direct subjective evaluations of over-education, which distinguish between the usefulness of the PhD title to get the current job position and to perform the current work activities. Even if the incidence of over-education varies according to the measurement applied, the author found that it is highly widespread among PhD recipients. The econometric analyses are aimed at identifying factors associated with over-education and are based on the standard probit model and the bivariate probit model with sample selec...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed how the banks use their web sites to disclose their social responsibility concerns and activities, and found that corporate social responsibility became a core topic in the management and activity of banks.
Abstract: Purpose – Corporate social responsibility became a core topic in the management and activity of banks Being a bidirectional, permanent, updateable and universal access communication channel, the internet contributed to transform the way the organizations report social responsibility to stakeholders The purpose of this paper is to understand how the banks use their web sites to disclose their social responsibility concerns and activities Design/methodology/approach – The globe was divided in 11 regions, according to geographic and cultural criteria Information was gathered from the corporate web sites of the ten major banks in each region, and their contents were analyzed Geographic patterns and the correlation to universal development indicators were studied Findings – The banks disclose on their web sites information on environmental management and socioeconomic programs Other recurrent themes are the support to education, fight against corruption, workers’ welfare, corporate ethics and the existe
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the impact of the Integrated Household Extension Program (IHEP) on participant households' welfare and see the policy effectiveness, using household survey data from 730 farm households (361 treated and 369 control) in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and propensity score matching methods.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the Integrated Household Extension Program (IHEP) on participant households’ welfare and see the policy effectiveness. The government of Ethiopia – in contrast to the majority of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa – invests heavily in agricultural extension but very little empirical evidence is available on the impact of the services on farm performance and household welfare that could justify these investments. The IHEP program is a particularly interesting case as it is an example on how agricultural extension systems in developing countries changed during the past two decades, from centralized top-down technology-transfer-orientated approaches to decentralized, participatory and more integrated approaches. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use household survey data from 730 farm households (361 treated and 369 control) in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and propensity score matching methods to estimate the impact. Findings – The aut...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors integrated two main strands of the aid-development nexus in assessing whether institutional thresholds matter in the effectiveness of foreign-aid on institutional development in 53 African countries over the period 1996-2010.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate two main strands of the aid-development nexus in assessing whether institutional thresholds matter in the effectiveness of foreign-aid on institutional development in 53 African countries over the period 1996-2010. Design/methodology/approach – The panel quantile regression technique enables us to investigate if the relationship between institutional dynamics and development assistance differs throughout the distributions of institutional dynamics. Eight government quality indicators are employed: rule of law, regulation quality, government effectiveness, corruption, voice and accountability, control of corruption, political stability and democracy. Findings – Three hypotheses are tested and the following findings are established: first, institutional benefits of foreign-aid are contingent on existing institutional levels in Africa; second, but for a thin exception (democracy), foreign-aid is more negatively correlated with countries of higher institutio...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the effect of foreign aid on corruption in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, using a Quantile Regression (QR) approach.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of foreign aid on corruption in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Foreign aid is aimed to promote economic growth by complementing the recipient country’s shortfall of financial resource. However, if the recipient country’s quality of governance and institutions is poor, the process of growth will be undermined. Since foreign aid to SSA countries has been increasing substantially in recent years, it is imperative to explore its impact on the level of corruption in the SSA countries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted to use a Quantile regression (QR) approach to examine the impact of foreign aid on corruption. The data cover from the year 2000 to 2010 for 42 Sub-Saharan countries. QR is appropriate to achieve the stated objective because the method enables to examine the effect of aid on at different level of corruption. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights on the impact of foreign aid on corruption level in SSA countri...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the contribution of large-scale farms to local-level food security in Bako Tibe District, Oromia Region, and found that foreign land deals increase the odds of households falling into food insecurity.
Abstract: Purpose – Like many countries in the developing world, Ethiopia has leased out a huge amount of land to foreign investors. However, empirical evidence on the contribution of international investments to employment generation and food security is limited. The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution of large-scale farms to local-level food security in Bako Tibe District, Oromia Region. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected from 200 randomly selected households from two purposefully selected villages in the district. Secondary data were collected from government offices and the literature. Propensity score matching was used to match households based on observable characteristics. Using the World Food Programme (WFP) approach, the food consumption score (FCS) of households was calculated. Finally, the Average Treatment effect for the Treated was determined. Findings – Findings indicate that foreign land deals increase the odds of households falling into food insecurity and tha...
TL;DR: In this paper, a questionnaire is employed to explore the financial literacy of selected migrant groups representing the regions of Africa, Asia and Europe, and the findings reveal that migrants are eager to seek further information to assist with their financial decision-making.
Abstract: Purpose – The issue of migrant financial literacy remains largely unresolved despite the increasing focus on financial literacy in general. The purpose of this paper is to provide a migrant-based approach to provide a snapshot of the self-reported levels of financial literacy specifically for a group of newly arrived culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire is employed to explore the financial literacy of selected migrant groups representing the regions of Africa, Asia and Europe. Findings – The findings reveal that: migrants are eager to seek further information to assist with their financial decision making; better access and utilisation of basic financial services seems to be an area where improvement is required; and self-reported financial literacy levels are influenced by education levels. Research limitations/implications – Although the research targets newly arrived CALD migrants, no claims can be made regarding the representation of CALD...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors empirically report the relationship between financial sector development, economic growth and of millennium development goals (MDGs) for poverty reduction, education and health development in South Africa.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically report the findings on the relationship between financial sector development, economic growth and of millennium development goals (MDGs) for poverty reduction, education and health development in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – The autoregressive distributed lag bounds testing technique was applied to two indicators of financial development, economic growth and four indicators of MDGs. Findings – Economic growth and MDGs jointly cause financial development. Similarly, economic growth and financial sector development jointly cause the attainment of MDGs. The attainment of MDGs such as increased per capita expenditure on food and education as well as economic growth jointly cause financial development. Practical implications – The findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between financial development, economic growth and MDGs. It is essential that the government of South Africa pursue a three track strategy of promoting financial...
TL;DR: The results showed that the pond management by brackish water fish farmers is better than freshwater fish farmer, and GAqP was among the significant factor contributes to increasing in farmers’ household income; in addition to their other livelihood assets.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the level of good aquaculture practice (GAqP) among aquaculture farmers; and to analyse the factors influence the level of practice and the importance of GAqP in increasing farmer’s income. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were obtained through a survey conducted on 216 aquaculture pond fish farmers. The descriptive study was employed to identify the profile of respondents and their level of GAqP practices. The structural equation modelling (SEM) method was applied to analyse the factors influence the level of GAqP practice, and the influence of GAqP on the total income of aquaculture farmers. Findings – The results showed that the pond management by brackish water fish farmers is better than freshwater fish farmer, indicated by 77 per cent of them adopt GAqP at a level of 60 per cent and above, as compared to only 20 per cent by freshwater farmers. Physical and human assets were revealed to be most significant factors influence the practice of ...
TL;DR: In this article, the determinants of arable crop farmers' awareness to causes and effects of climate change in south western Nigeria were empirically analyzed using primary data, using a multi-stage sampling technique.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the determinants of arable crop farmers’ awareness to causes and effects of climate change in south western Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – Using primary data, 150 arable crop farmers in Ogun State were selected through a multi stage sampling technique. Survey method was used to elicit information on farmers’ socioeconomic, production characteristics, and their level of awareness to causes and effects of climate change. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, environmental awareness index (EAI), and Tobit regression analysis. Findings – Most (81.08 percent) of the arable crop farmers were males with an average household size of eight persons, farming experience of 24 years and farm size of approximately 1 ha. The computed climate change EAI showed that only 47 percent of the respondents were aware of causes of climate change, while 68 percent were aware of its effects. Results further revealed that age, income from...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide insights onto the level of financial literacy in Brunei, notably focussing on the findings of welfare recipient's vis-a-vis non-welfare recipients.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights onto the level of financial literacy in Brunei, notably focussing on the findings of welfare recipient’s vis-a-vis non-welfare recipients. Design/methodology/approach – Findings are based on structured interviews with 431 heads of households (215 welfare recipients and 216 non-welfare recipients), within the realm of money management, emergency planning and investing for goals. To analyze the data, Pearson’s χ2 test and logistic regressions are undertaken. Findings – The findings underline the importance of enhancing the level of financial literacy, notably for low-income households and those in poverty, as the analysis highlighted their level of financial literacy was significantly lower than non-welfare recipients. Research limitations/implications – Future researches may want to consider a random sampling approach and/or using other districts in the country, to ascertain a representative set of findings. Practical implications – The implication...
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual framework of the antecedents of formal and informal institutions of entrepreneurial climate in a less developed market setting is proposed, based on a comprehensive survey of the literature on institutions by using a synthesis thematic methodology.
Abstract: Purpose – Previous scholarly studies on institutions tend to create a sombre picture of institutions by ignoring to examine the antecedents of formal and informal institutions. The purpose of this paper is to overcome this limitation by proposing a conceptual framework of the antecedents of formal and informal institutions of entrepreneurial climate in a less developed market setting. Design/methodology/approach – This study builds on a comprehensive survey of the literature on institutions by using a synthesis thematic methodology to identified key scholarly studies which have been published in previous theoretical and empirical studies and proposes a conceptual framework of the role of formal and informal institutions in defining entrepreneurial climate in a developing economy’s context. Findings – The findings of the paper suggest that political factors and economic factors define formal institutions whilst socio-cultural factors define informal institutions. These factors rooted in political, economic...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed models to predict the repayment success of microfinancing loans in Indonesia and Sri Lanka using logistic regression and showed significant differences between the two countries.
Abstract: Purpose – The repayment performance of microfinancing loans funded by donors amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars is an important issue, because it indicates the effectiveness of utilising these funds to alleviate poverty. The purpose of this paper is to develop models to predict the repayment success of microfinancing loans. Design/methodology/approach – Analysing data relating to 1,109 random loan records from Indonesia and Sri Lanka, the study develops models to predict the repayment probability of microfinancing loans using logistic regression. Findings – There are significant differences between the two countries. In Sri Lanka, the time to approve and disburse the loan, loan cycle, gender and age of the borrower, whether a group or individual borrower, the purpose for which the loan is used and visiting frequency by the loan officers were found to be significant when predicting the repayment. Only three factors were significant in Indonesia: time to approve and disburse the loan, interest rep...
TL;DR: According to the PLS-PM quality criteria, the CBD model is a suitable approach for measuring the cultural impact on regional level and the expected sign of the cultural effect suggested by the CBD concept is confirmed.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conduct an in-depth exploratory test of the innovative culture-based development (CBD) concept and to evaluate its potential for empirical research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use the partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) method to look closely at the latently present factor culture and investigate its various possible relationships with the rest of the sub-components of socio-economic development. The authors estimate two alternative specifications of the CBD model, with regional data for Germany in 2006. Findings – The main finding is that according to the PLS-PM quality criteria, the CBD model is a suitable approach for measuring the cultural impact on regional level. The expected sign of the cultural effect suggested by the CBD concept is also confirmed by the results. Originality/value – The authors identify interesting potential bottlenecks in applying the CBD concept incorrectly and demonstrate the PLS-PM potential to control for them.
TL;DR: In this article, an attempt to explain the clustering of Thai ethnic small businesses in Kowloon City through a discourse on the ethnic enclave economy was made. But, the authors did not provide evidences for social workers, migrant associations and policy makers in developing ideas of ethnic business enabling.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to employ enclave economy in the perspective of economic sociology to explain the existence and process of the Thai enclave in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews and case studies are employed in relation to Thai restaurant and grocery shop owners and employees in Hong Kong. Findings – This study is an attempt to explain the clustering of Thai ethnic small businesses in Kowloon City through a discourse on the ethnic enclave economy. The Thai migrant enclave in Hong Kong is explored with dimensions of segregation, namely evenness, exposure, clustering, concentration and centralization (Massey and Denton’s, 1988). This study suggests that these Thai enclave businesses have two differentials compared to the findings of Zhou (1992) in Chinatown restaurants in New York. Social implications – The findings provide evidences for social workers, migrant associations and policy makers in developing ideas of ethnic business enabling. There should be wid...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the incidence of public education subsidies in Ghana and found that pre-schooling and primary schooling are the most progressive, followed by secondary, and then tertiary.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the incidence of public education subsidies in Ghana. Since the late 1990s, Ghana’s government has increasingly recognized human capital as key to alleviating poverty and income inequality, causing dramatic increases of government expenditures to the education sector. At the same time user fees have been introduced in higher education while basic education is being made progressively free. The question then is, whether these spending increases have been effective in reaching the poor and to what extent? What factors influence the poor’s participation in the public school system? Design/methodology/approach – The authors address the key issues by employing both the standard benefit incidence methods and the willingness-to-pay method. Findings – The results give a clear evidence of progressivity with consistent ordering: pre-schooling and primary schooling are the most progressive, followed by secondary, and then tertiary. Own price and income elasticities a...