Climate variability and farmer's vulnerability in a flood‐prone district of Assam

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swati Chaliha ◽  
Asmita Sengupta ◽  
Nitasha Sharma ◽  
N.H. Ravindranath
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Vulnerability Index ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Natural Phenomenon ◽  
Indicator Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Indian State ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe Indian state of Assam is situated in a high rainfall zone and the river Brahmaputra flowing through the state causes annual floods which adversely impact the agro‐economic base of the region. The situation is likely to become exacerbated under the impact of climate change. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the vulnerability of the farmers in Assam to floods in the scenario of the present climate variability taking a case study of the Majuli Island of Jorhat district.Design/methodology/approachThe current vulnerability of the farmers in the Majuli Island of Jorhat district of Assam is quantified using the “indicator method”. A Composite Vulnerability Index is calculated taking into account various indicators reflective of the exposure, sensitivity and the adaptive capacity of the farmers' community to floods. The indicators have been quantified based on the data obtained from household surveys and participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) in the villages and secondary data sources.FindingsThe results show that biophysical factors have the greatest impact on the overall vulnerability of the study area and that strengthened adaptive capacity, proper scientific planning and management is required to protect the Majuli Island from the adverse effects of recurrent floods.Originality/valueThis paper shows that the more decentralized the spatial unit of vulnerability assessment is, the more helpful it would be for policy makers and stakeholders to formulate efficient mitigation measures, plan apposite developmental programmes and improve the adaptive capacity of Assam as a whole to face the natural phenomenon of floods.

scholarly journals Assessing Impact of Climate Variability in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh Using Livelihood Vulnerability Index

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Sabrina Mehzabin ◽  
M. Shahjahan Mondal
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Vulnerability Index ◽  
Precipitation Anomaly ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Precipitation Concentration Index ◽  
Coastal Bangladesh ◽  
Present Decade ◽  
The Impact

This study analyzed the variability of rainfall and temperature in southwest coastal Bangladesh and assessed the impact of such variability on local livelihood in the last two decades. The variability analysis involved the use of coefficient of variation (CV), standardized precipitation anomaly (Z), and precipitation concentration index (PCI). Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the trends, and a Mann–Kendall test was performed to detect the significance of the trends. The impact of climate variability was assessed by using a livelihood vulnerability index (LVI), which consisted of six livelihood components with several sub-components under each component. Primary data to construct the LVIs were collected through a semi-structed questionnaire survey of 132 households in a coastal polder. The survey data were triangulated and supplemented with qualitative data from focused group discussions and key informant interviews. The results showed significant rises in temperature in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Though there were no discernable trends in annual and seasonal rainfalls, the anomalies increased in the dry season. The annual PCI and Z were found to capture the climate variability better than the currently used mean monthly standard deviation. The comparison of the LVIs of the present decade with the past indicated that the livelihood vulnerability, particularly in the water component, had increased in the coastal polder due to the increases in natural hazards and climate variability. The index-based vulnerability analysis conducted in this study can be adapted for livelihood vulnerability assessment in deltaic coastal areas of Asia and Africa.

The impact of intellectual capital on firm performance: a study of Indian firms listed in COSPI

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Smriti ◽  
Niladri Das
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Share Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital (IC) on financial performance (FP) for Indian companies listed on the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Overall Share Price Index (COSPI). Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were developed according to theories and literature review. Secondary data were collected from Indian companies listed on the COSPI between 2001 and 2016, and the value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) of Pulic (2000) was used to measure IC and its components. A dynamic system generalized method of moments (SGMM) estimator was employed to identify the variables that significantly contribute to firm performance. Findings Indian listed firms appear to be performing well and efficiently utilizing their IC. Overall, human capital had a major impact on firm productivity during the study period. Furthermore, the empirical analysis showed that structural capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency were equally important contributors to firm’s sales growth and market value. The growing importance of the contribution of IC to value creation was consistently reflected in the FP of these Indian companies. Practical implications This study has robust theoretical grounds and employs a validated methodology. The present study extends knowledge of IC among academicians and managers and highlights its contribution to value creation. The findings may help stakeholders and policymakers in developing countries properly reallocate intellectual resources. Originality/value This study is the first study to evaluate IC and its relationship with traditional measures of firm performance among Indian listed firms using dynamic SGMM and VAIC models.

South Africa’s increasing climate variability and its effect on food production

2021 ◽  
pp. 003072702110049
Author(s):  
Mashudu Tshikovhi ◽  
Roscoe Bertrum van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Fixed Effects Panel Regression ◽  
The Impact

This study examines the impact of increasing climate variability on food production in South Africa, focusing on maize and wheat yields. A two-way fixed effects panel regression model was used to assess the climate variability impacts, analysing secondary data for the period 2000 to 2019 for nine provinces in South Africa. The study found that increasing climate variability has a negative impact on maize and wheat production in South Africa. Specifically, the results indicated a negative correlation between mean annual temperature with both maize and wheat yields. A decrease in precipitation affected maize yields negatively, while the impact on wheat yields was positive, although insignificant. This analysis, therefore, depicted that crop yields generally increase with more annual precipitation and decrease with higher temperatures. The study recommends that funding initiatives to educate farmers on increasing climate variability and its effects on farming activities in South Africa should be prioritised.

Research on capital structure determinants: a review and future directions

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satish Kumar ◽  
Sisira Colombage ◽  
Purnima Rao
Keyword(s):  
Capital Structure ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Order Theory ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the status of studies on capital structure determinants in the past 40 years. This paper highlights the major gaps in the literature on determinants of capital structure and also aims to raise specific questions for future research. Design/methodology/approach The prominence of research is assessed by studying the year of publication and region, level of economic development, firm size, data collection methods, data analysis techniques and theoretical models of capital structure from the selected papers. The review is based on 167 papers published from 1972 to 2013 in various peer-reviewed journals. The relationship of determinants of capital structure is analyzed with the help of meta-analysis. Findings Major findings show an increase of interest in research on determinants of capital structure of the firms located in emerging markets. However, it is observed that these regions are still under-examined which provides more scope for research both empirical and survey-based studies. Majority of research studies are conducted on large-sized firms by using secondary data and regression-based models for the analysis, whereas studies on small-sized firms are very meager. As majority of the research papers are written only at the organizational level, the impact of leverage on various industries is yet to be examined. The review highlights the major determinants of capital structure and their relationship with leverage. It also reveals the dominance of pecking order theory in explaining capital structure of firms theoretically as well as statistically. Originality/value The paper covers a considerable period of time (1972-2013). Among very few review papers on capital structure research, to the best of authors’ knowledge; this is the first review to identify what is missing in the literature on the determinants of capital structure while offering recommendations for future studies. It also synthesize the findings of empirical studies on determinants of capital structure statistically.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction sector: a systemized review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ayat ◽  
Malikah ◽  
Chang Wook Kang
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Improvements ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Safety Guidelines

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought profound changes to all sectors of society including the construction sector. The main purpose of this study is to explore and provide insights into the impact and changes that have occurred in the construction sector due to COVID-19 and to present a mitigation framework to minimize the effects.Design/methodology/approachThe scope of this study is limited to peer-reviewed articles in Scopus or Web of Science indexed journals. A systemized review was performed with bibliometric and content analyses of articles related to the impact of COVID-19 on the construction sector.FindingsThrough content analysis, the main topics discussed in the selected articles were grouped into 10 categories. Most of these studies were found to have focused on the challenges, impact, and health and safety at construction sites resulting from the pandemic. The study further identified 39 subtopics through detailed content analysis and organizes them into the categories of negative impacts, positive impacts and opportunities and barriers to COVID-19 safety guidelines in the construction sector. Moreover, the study developed a systematic mitigation strategy based on the recommendations of the literature review to reduce the impact of the current pandemic on the construction sector. The mitigation strategy presents separate set of measures regarding safety guidelines, process improvements, government intervention, psychological support and technology adoption.Originality/valueThe research insights provided in this study are useful for practitioners in guiding them to design effective strategies for addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises. Furthermore, a systematic presentation of the impacts, challenges and mitigation measures in this study will help researchers to identify existing gaps in the literature and explore other aspects of the impact of the pandemic on the construction sector.

An empirical investigation on the impact of marketing strategy style on firm performance: evidence from public firms in China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Wang ◽  
Liqiong Liu ◽  
Yu Feng
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Corporate Performance ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Firms ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe mechanism of marketing strategy style and its impact on firms are research issues received wide attention. In particular, the aggressive style of marketing strategy has been chosen by many companies, but recent studies have shown that it has a negative effect on corporate performance. This leads to the core issue of this paper – does the aggressive style of marketing strategy always had a negative impact on corporate performance? Are there any factors that can alleviate this negative impact?Design/methodology/approachBased on the resource-based theory and agency theory, this paper takes the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) listed companies as the research objects, collects secondary data and conducts the research by regression model.FindingsThe empirical research shows that: (1) the aggressive style of marketing strategy significantly and negatively affects the performance of firm; (2) the resource constraint can moderate the main effect and resource control play a weak adjustment role.Practical implicationsIn practice, this paper confirms the adverse impact of aggressive style of marketing strategy on the performance of listed companies on GEM and inspires the industry to strengthen the control and supervision of marketing resources.Originality/valueThis paper makes up for the research gap in the field of cross-research in finance and marketing theoretically.

The impact of online reviews on product returns

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofei Li ◽  
Baolong Ma ◽  
Hongrui Chu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Quantitative Model ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Product Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Product Return ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe value of online reviews has been well documented by academics and practitioners. However, to maximise the benefits of consumer reviews, online sellers must avoid the negative consequences associated with customer feedback, such as reputation loss, or product returns after purchase. In developing a better understanding of the relationships between online reviews and their potential for negative impacts, this research aims to explore product returns. Through a quantitative model, this research demonstrates why online reviews can result in product return behaviours.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested via two studies. In Study 1, the authors examine the direct effects of review valence and review volume on product returns by analysing secondary data on 4,995 stores on China's Taobao.com. Study 2 further extends and validates the findings of Study 1 with a survey sample of 795 participants across several online shopping platforms. This analysis examines the mechanics and conditions that influence the relationships between online reviews and product returns through partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that both review valence (i.e. average star ratings) and the number of reviews can increase the probability of product returns due to the high expectations that result from positive online reviews. Further, the effect of review valence on product returns is stronger for first-time purchasers at a store. In terms of mitigation, the analysis shows that bilateral communications between sellers and buyers can temper the unrealistic expectations set by positive reviews, leading to fewer product returns.Originality/valueThis research adds to the literature on online reviews by exploring the negative consequences of online reviews and the role they play in online purchasing decisions. The findings also provide direct evidence as to why online reviews can result in more product returns, adding clarity to extant research which contains conflicting conclusions as to how online reviews affect product return behaviours.

scholarly journals Home (not so) sweet home

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Rialp-Criado ◽  
Seyed Meysam Zolfaghari Ejlal Manesh ◽  
Øystein Moen
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to elaborate on the crucial effects that a seemingly detrimental policy change in Spain has had on the international entrepreneurial activities of domestic renewable energy (RE) firms. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected from nine RE companies in Spain and then triangulated with secondary data and interviews from informants in other local institutions. Findings Domestic RE firms, due to an institutional scape driver action, reacted to an increasingly uncertain and generally more adverse renewable energy policy framework in this country by preferring to internationalise towards foreign markets that had lower political uncertainty than the domestic one. Research limitations/implications This paper complements previous research primarily on firm-specific factors that enhance internationalising firms’ survival and growth through a focus on the impact of a changing institutional-political environment at the home country-level. Practical implications Practitioners in the RE sector should analyse the risk of focusing only on the home market, as it can be too dependent on uncontrolled variations in domestic energy policy. Social implications The findings indicate that a more stable and supportive, long-term perspective in the domestic RE policy is essential for the sustained growth and development of this emerging industry. Originality/value To analyse the strategy by which a number of purposefully selected companies were able to use international expansion as a survival-seeking strategy against a drastic policy-level change in the domestic RE market.

Can financial inclusion reduce the presence of corruption? Evidence from selected countries in Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 1345-1362
Author(s):  
Folorunsho M. Ajide
Keyword(s):  
Random Effect ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Least Square ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Control Of Corruption

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of financial inclusion (FI) on control of corruption in selected African countries.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs secondary data spanning over a period of 2005–2016. These data are sourced from IMF's International Financial Statistics, World Bank Development Indicators, Global Financial Development Database, Transparency International and International Country Risk Guide. The author uses Sarma (2008) approach to construct the FI index for 13 countries in Africa. The author applies random effect, robust least square and instrumental variable (IV) estimations to examine the impact of FI on control of corruption in Africa.FindingsThe author finds that financial inclusion improves the control of corruption. The author tests for possible FI threshold to avoid the case of extreme FI in Africa. The results show that there is a threshold level if reached, FI would have negative impacts in the control of corruption. This may likely happen mainly due to weak institutions in Africa. The results are robust to alternative proxy for control of corruption and various alternative estimation techniques.Practical implicationsThe finding indicates that FI can serve as part of toolkits for reducing corruption in Africa.Originality/valueThis study stresses the important role of FI in the economic system. It is the first paper that empirically suggests the role of FI in controlling corruption in Africa.

Giving a fish or teaching to fish? Exploring the effects of home-country governmental support on foreign exit decisions

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1181-1203
Author(s):  
Qun Tan ◽  
Carlos M.P. Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Financial Support ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
Multiple Informants ◽  
Past Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Support ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

PurposeTo help firms with their international operations, governments often create policies and support mechanisms, but its influence on the firm's exit decision has so far been ignored. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of home-country governmental support on the firm's exit decision.Design/methodology/approachThe authors test their conceptual model using multiple informants as well as secondary data from China. The sample consists of 360 valid questionnaires from 180 firms. Binary logistics regression is used to test the conceptual framework.FindingsBy demonstrating that resource-based and institutional constructs are highly dependent, the authors show how home-country governmental support interacts with the foreign affiliate's past performance to explain the decision to remain or exit a foreign market. The results indicate that while governmental financial support reduces the likelihood of exiting a poorly performing business in the foreign market, governmental non-financial support surprisingly has an opposite effect.Originality/valueWhile there has been an increasing number of firms exiting foreign markets, this area of research is still limited. The study also contributes to the literature by focusing on home-country governmental financial and non-financial support to explain the firm's exit decision – an issue that has been ignored and is expected to be particularly relevant for firms from emerging economies.

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