Does membership of local Chambers of Commerce networks enhance rural SME performance?: An empirical analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pattanapong Tiwasing ◽  
Sukanlaya Sawang
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chamber Of Commerce ◽  
Chambers Of Commerce

PurposeLocal Chambers of Commerce networks provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with an opportunity to access essential information and networking with other businesses, resulting in improved business performance. However, rural SMEs are less likely to participate in these networks and often possess lower performance. This paper aims to examine the relationship between being members of local Chambers of Commerce networks and rural SMEs’ performance by comparing business performance between rural SMEs who are members and non-members of local Chambers of Commerce networks. This paper also further explores difference in business growth plans between rural SMEs members and non-members.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis draws on cross-sectional data of 3,769 rural SMEs in England and Wales from the UK's Government Longitudinal Small Business Survey 2015. Propensity score matching (PSM) is applied to control for selection bias and variations in business characteristics before comparing business performance, measured in terms of annual turnover, sale growth and profitability, between rural SMEs that are members and non-members of local Chambers of Commerce networks.FindingsOur results show that rural SME members of local Chambers of Commerce networks are more likely to grow their sales than non-members. However, they perform as good as non-members in terms of turnover and profitability. The results also emphasise that local Chambers of Commerce networks are crucial for rural SMEs to develop the skills of the workforce and leadership capability of managers, new product/service development and new working practices. Therefore, to enhance rural SMEs' performance, tailoring the services of local Chambers of Commerce to support rural businesses' needs and encouraging rural SMEs to make use of business networks are recommended.Practical implicationsThe paper unpacks the relationships between being local Chamber of Commerce membership and business performance, offering lessons for rural SMEs to boost their business performance and growth through participating in local business association networks.Originality/valueThis paper is the first study that explores the comparative analysis of business performance and growth plans between rural SMEs that are members and non-members of the local Chamber of Commerce networks. We provide an empirical evidence-based analysis to existing literature regarding the advantages of being local Chamber of Commerce memberships to enhance business performance in rural areas.

Effects of village savings and loan association on agricultural value productivity in Northern Region of Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dawuni ◽  
Franklin Nantui Mabe ◽  
Osman Damba Tahidu
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Savings And Loan

PurposeAgriculture in Ghana is dominated by smallholder farmers in rural areas. Majority of these farmers are resource-poor and faced with serious challenges in accessing formal financial services towards farming needs attributed to the stringent requirements. To bridge this gap, village savings and loan associations (VSLA) have been promoted in rural areas as an alternative to meeting the credit needs of smallholder farmers. Credit plays a vital role in input acquisition among farmers for improved agricultural value productivity. This study assesses the contribution of VSLA to agricultural value productivity in the Northern Region of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is a primary cross-sectional data collected with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. This study, therefore, applied a propensity score matching (PSM) to assess the effects of VSLA on agricultural value productivity.FindingsResults from the PSM revealed that extension contact, contract farming, television set ownership, participating in “Planting for Food and Jobs” and nature of roads, including receiving VSLA information from members' increases participation decision of farmers in VSLA. Conversely, age of a farmer, household size, distance to output market and farmers in the Sagnarigu Municipality have negatively influenced VSLA participation. The propensity score matching estimates showed that members of VSLA obtained 38.2% higher agricultural value productivity than non-members.Originality/valueVillage savings and loans associations can be promoted among smallholder farmers as an effective alternative to formal financial service for inclusive development.

Evaluating service innovation and business performance in tourism: a multicriteria decision analysis approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 2429-2453
Author(s):  
Fotis C. Kitsios ◽  
Evangelos Grigoroudis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Analysis ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Multicriteria Decision Analysis ◽  
Analysis Approach ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multicriteria Decision ◽  
Hotel Managers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the new service development (NSD) process in tourism. For this reason, factors influencing the process of service innovation in the hospitality sector were explored and correlated with business performance in the hospitality industry through a multicriteria decision analysis approach.Design/methodology/approachAn original multicriteria decision analysis approach is applied in order to estimate the efficiency of the NSD process. The approach follows the principles of ordinal regression analysis, using goal programming techniques. Collected data are based on in-depth structured and questionnaire-based interviews of 77 hotel managers in 147 new services in a representative sample of 99 hotels in Greece. Several financial ratios, covering different aspects of business performance, are used in order to evaluate the NSD process for three years after the services innovation had been launched.FindingsThese findings reveal the importance of financial liquidity and business efficiency for the hotel industry (i.e. the ability of a firm to use available resources in order to achieve specific sales goals). The aforementioned variables can determine how quickly and effectively assets are converted to cash. In general, the findings show the emphasis that should be given to customer needs, as well as to the effective management of a NSD project.Originality/valueFindings of this study may support hotel managers to make complex strategic decisions for future development. These findings have suggested that service innovation should be included as a strategic tool to assess differentiation effort in the hotel industry.

Entrepreneurship Policies and New Business Performance and Growth: An Empirical Analysis Based on Manufacturing Industries

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A Belso Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Entrepreneurship Policy ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
New Business ◽  
High Level

Entrepreneurship policy is an emerging area among economic policy developments that is currently not well developed. Policy makers are seeking to increase countries' and regions' entrepreneurial vitality in recognition of the growing evidence that a high level of entrepreneurial activity contributes to economic growth and development. I report the results of a cross-sectional empirical analysis that was conducted to test the contribution of different types of entrepreneurship development programs to new business performance and growth. A sample of seventy-two Spanish footwear entrepreneurs were contacted and surveyed during 2000. Major findings suggest that some of the analyzed public policies significantly favor new business profitability and growth. These results should be taken with care because of the sample size, the profile of the economic sector analyzed, and the restricted geographical location of the new businesses considered in this research.

Performance drivers of women-owned microcredit funded enterprises in Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-230
Author(s):  
Charles Stephen Tundui ◽  
Hawa Petro Tundui
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Product Cycle ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Drivers ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance drivers of women-owned businesses that are funded primarily through microcredit. It draws on Storey’s theory of small business growth and family embeddedness axiom to examine the factors that drive the performance of businesses that are funded primarily through microcredit. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a cross-sectional survey that covered 208 women business owners who had access to microcredit. The authors use a logistic regression analysis to model the relationship between independent variables and enterprise performance. Findings The paper demonstrates that microcredit plays a significant role in business performance. The credit amount has the most significant influence on the enterprise capital base, whereas the effect on profits is insignificant. Also, owners are more likely to report growth in profits if they possess skills in business management. In addition, younger business owners and necessity entrepreneurs are more likely to report success in their businesses. Other factors that have a significant effect on business performance are product cycle, loan use and family support. Originality/value Many women in Tanzania are entering business ownership and depend on microcredit as their primary source of capital for starting and growing their businesses. However, just a few businesses grow into small and medium-sized enterprises. For informed policy decisions, it is important that the factors influencing the performance of funded businesses are known and well understood. This understanding will help the government and development practitioners assist women in achieving business growth rates that could warrant their empowerment and poverty reduction prospects.

Gender of the family head and food insecurity in urban and rural Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikechukwu Darlington Nwaka ◽  
Seyi Saint Akadiri ◽  
Kalu Ebi Uma
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Urban Food Security ◽  
Family Head ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Access Rights ◽  
Female Headed Households

PurposeAre the urban and rural male-headed households (MHHs) or female-headed households (FHHs) poorer and food (in)secured? Such question is of very important policy concern in the drive towards achieving the first two of the Sustainable Development Goals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses 2010–2012 waves of General Household Survey cross-sectional panel data to investigate food (in)security and poverty dynamics amongst MHHs and FHHs in Nigeria, with particular attention to rural and urban dimensions.FindingsApplying the tobit and probit regressions while controlling for poverty and other household characteristics, we observed that female-headed families are more vulnerable to higher incidences of food insecurity than male-headed ones and with an overall significant urban food security advantage compared to rural areas. Comparing urban and rural results in terms of land access rights, urban food insecurity manifests more amongst urban FHHs non–Agri-land owners which however falls as food expenditure rises. However, the rise in per capita food consumption, agricultural characteristics and years of schooling reduces the likelihood of food insecurity for all households.Originality/valueThis study, therefore, offers relevant policy inputs towards addressing poverty and food insecurity in a typical developing country such as Nigeria.

An empirical investigation of the role of rural development policies in stimulating rural entrepreneurship in the Lazio Region of Italy

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello De Rosa ◽  
Gerard McElwee
Keyword(s):  
Rural Development ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Family Farms ◽  
Lazio Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Rural Development Policies

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to provide an analysis of the adoption of Rural Development Policies (Rdp) as the result of entrepreneurial behaviours carried out by family farms with a focus on the Lazio Region of Italy. Family farming is the backbone of the European model of agriculture. Rdp provide family farms with a set of opportunities which, if well exploited, could drum up farm’s development. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical analysis of a data base provided by the Lazion region of Italy on the adoption of Rdp by family farms in the Lazio region for the period of 2007-2013. Cluster analysis is the main analytical tool used. Findings – The results evidence significant differences in the adoption of rural policy on the basis of family life cycle and the composition of the family farm. The empirical analysis underlines the low degree of coherence by farms located in rural areas. Practical implications – Farmers’ success in accessing funds requires them to be proactive and take a strategic perspective to convince funders that they have a coherent strategy which meets the requirements of the particular Rdp which they are trying to access. Social implications – In terms of policy, a more nuanced understanding of the entrepreneurial nature of some practices in a rural setting and how they require multi-agency investigation. Originality/value – The paper is unique, in that it considers the consumption of policy by farmers who are entrepreneurial in their vision. By consumption of Rdp, we mean the farmer’s strategic capability to obtain funds from regional funding pots for rural development.

Outshopping in rural periodic markets: a retailing opportunity

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanal Kumar Velayudhan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Retail Stores ◽  
Retail Competition ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Retail Format

Purpose – The study seeks to understand the influences on the prevalence of rural retailing institution of periodic markets. It examines the influence of access to and population of the location on the performance of periodic markets and their effect on the competition between periodic markets and local rural retail stores. Design/methodology/approach – Simultaneous cross-sectional study on census data is used to understand changes in performance of periodic markets in the context of growth in retail stores. Findings – The superior performance of local retail shop compared to outshopping in periodic markets is contrary to observation in literature developed in the context of urban outshopping. Practical implications – Retail chains need to develop a separate program for location of outlets that serve rural areas as access influences retail performance. In rural areas marketers can use traditional periodic markets in addition to conventional retail store given the limited inter-format retail competition. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies to explicitly examine periodic markets as a retail format. Outshopping is studied in the context of growth in local retail stores unlike earlier studies in the urban context where the local stores exhibit reduced sales.

scholarly journals Impact of food price increases on poverty in Indonesia: empirical evidence from cross-sectional data

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faharuddin Faharuddin ◽  
M. Yamin ◽  
Andy Mulyana ◽  
Y. Yunita
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Food Price ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Household Survey Data ◽  
The Impact

PurposeUsing cross-sectional household survey data, this paper aims to determine the impact of food price increases on poverty in Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the quadratic almost ideal demand system applied to the 2013 Indonesian household survey data. The impact of food price increase on household welfare is calculated using a welfare measure, compensating variation.FindingsThree food groups with the most outstanding price impact on poverty are rice, vegetables and fish were studied. The 20% increase in the price of each food group causes an increase in the headcount ratio by 1.360 points (rice), 0.737 points (vegetables) and 0.636 points (fish). Maintaining food price stability for these food groups is very important because the more price increases, the more impact on poverty. Food price policies in rural areas are also more critical than in urban areas because the impact of food price increases in rural areas is higher.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper does not consider the positive impact of rising food prices on food-producing households.Practical implicationsImplementing appropriate poverty alleviation policies through food policies for main food groups and social protection.Social implicationsPromoting rural development policies and agricultural growth.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical results regarding the impact of domestic food prices increase on poverty in Indonesia.

Small business performance in Thailand: key success factors

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rujirutana Mandhachitara ◽  
Siriporn (NaPombhejara) Allapach
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Market Orientation ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Marketing Metrics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marketing Intelligence ◽  
Small Business Performance

Purpose This paper investigates how affirmative leadership management styles, market orientation and marketing intelligence drive the performance of small business enterprises in Bangkok, Thailand. Design/methodology/approach Small business performance is a formative measurement consisting of financial and marketing metrics. Other constructs are reflective. Some 200 manager-owners of small businesses were interviewed. The authors use structural modeling, partial least squares (PLS). Research limitations/implications The data were collected from two of 50 districts in Bangkok. The study is cross-sectional. Performance measures were self-reported. Practical implications Building and exercising affirmative leadership skills and behaviors in small business operations is crucial. Small businesses should focus their recruitment on this quality. Affirmative leaders must create and promote a systematic approach to gathering and analyzing market intelligence on customers and competitors and utilize this strategically. Originality/value This empirical paper establishes two important mediating roles of market orientation. First, affirmative leadership is necessary to motivate a market-oriented enterprise in its successful performance. Second, marketing intelligence contributes to business performance when it is driven by market orientation.

Human capital, service innovation advantage, and business performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 974-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel I. Prajogo ◽  
Adegoke Oke
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Service Innovation ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of human capital (HC) on service innovation advantage (SIA) and business performance (BP) in service sector firms, and how external environmental factors influence these relationships. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized a cross-sectional mail survey of a random sample of Australian service firms with the unit of analysis being at the firm level. In total, 228 usable responses were received. Findings The overall findings of this study show that HC is positively related to the creation of value or SIA which in turn results in rent generation for firms. The results further show that the effect of SIA on BP is influenced by environmental dynamism and competitiveness with dynamic environments enhancing the effect while competitive environments weakening it. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate the complementarity between the resource based theory and contingency theory as they clearly shows that the value of innovation as a firm’s capability is enhanced or weakened within a business environment that is more dynamic or competitive. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the importance of HC, and, thus, encourage managers to seek ways to harness and leverage HC for improving innovation and BP. In addition, the study also helps managers to understand the contingency effect of business environment on the effectiveness of innovation, hence, helping them in deliberating firms’ strategy in different business environments. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study which examines the effectiveness of HC as organizational resource for building SIA as a source of organizational competitive advantage.

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