scholarly journals Microfinance and microenterprise performance in Indonesia: an extended and updated survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adwin Surja Atmadja ◽  
Parmendra Sharma ◽  
Jen-Je Su

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the small, women micro-entrepreneur dominated and heterogeneity limitations of the Atmadjaet al.(2016) study. The sample is much larger, includes more men and is more heterogeneous, which allows deeper insights and more meaningful explanation of the relationship between microfinance and microenterprise performance in the case of Indonesia, including the effects of gender, lending scheme and money separation.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a survey of 556 respondents across five microcredit providers in the city of Surabaya using an updated instrument. Ordered probit is used to analyse data.FindingsMicrofinance may not matter for microenterprise performance in the case of Indonesia. Additionally, microcredit schemes (individual vs group) and gender may also not matter for performance, but money separation might have some influence.Practical implicationsNon-financial factors such as human capital, spousal involvement, and money separation should be considered as important factors for improving microenterprise business performance in Indonesia, with less focus on microcreditper se.Originality/valueThis study provides further evidence that microfinance may not matter for microenterprise performance in the case of Indonesia, a populous middle income country with a very long history of microfinance.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-450
Author(s):  
Yu Liu ◽  
Bingjie Liu-Lastres ◽  
Qiuju Wang ◽  
Yao-Yi Fu

Purpose Beijing is becoming one of the top global destinations but the number of international tourists to the city has been declining recently. By analyzing inbound tourists experience in Beijing and identifying the relationship between the destination attributes and satisfaction, the purpose of this paper is to provide important insights into city tourism research and city destination development. Design/methodology/approach This study used an online deductive approach and collected 1,254 reviews on TripAdvisor referencing major attractions in Beijing. This study used the Leximancer software to analyze the content of the reviews and to identify the underlying relationships. Findings The results showed that international tourists’ experience in Beijing can be reflected via five aspects: attractions, city, transportation, service and people. The results further indicated that the major concern of international tourists visiting Beijing related to the service quality on site. Originality/value This study explored inbound tourists experience in Beijing using an online deductive approach. Practical implications were provided with respect to improving international tourists experience in Beijing and enhancing their satisfaction and revisiting intentions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 246-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masih Fadaki ◽  
Shams Rahman ◽  
Caroline Chan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the supply chain leagility proposing all supply chains are leagile with different magnitudes of leanness and agility. A new index, “Deviation from Leagility” (DFL), is introduced, aiming to optimise supply chain design and investigate the relationship between supply chain leagility and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The partial least squares (PLS) method was employed to analyse data collected from 299 Australian firms by administering a structured questionnaire. Findings The results indicate that most companies adopt the leagile supply chain rather than the lean or pure agile design. Furthermore, better business performance is achievable when deviation from a balanced supply chain in which both aspects of leanness and agility are equally embedded is minimised. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to a number of constraints that measure leagility; further research is needed to incorporate different aspects of agility. Practical implications The findings of this study could provide a guideline for supply chain executives to improve their company’s performance by designing a more balanced leagile supply chain. Originality/value This study is unique in its in-depth empirical investigation of modelling of leagile supply chain using a new index, and also addressing: first, the current mismatch between the well-known mutually exclusive strategies (lean/agile); and second, what has later been found when the proposed models were quantitatively tested.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesc Fusté-Forné

Purpose Cheeses convey the identity of a region. The origin of milk, the pastures, the land, the cheesemakers and the traditional recipes transmit the ways a cheese is produced and consumed. This background links to food tourism practices, particularly to cheese-oriented tourism. In this sense, people can buy cheese at a range of selling points, and markets are being one of the most appreciated social, leisure and experience spaces. From a tourist and marketing perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between cheese consumption and place identity, drawing from a study into the cheeses sold in a medium-sized European city. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on 17 semi-structured interviews with cheese vendors in markets and specialist food shops, the provenances of cheeses sold in the city of Reus – south-eastern Catalonia, northeastern Spain – were studied. Findings Local, national and international cheeses were analysed. Results show the type of identity that derives from cheese offer and its opportunities for food tourism planning and development. Practical implications Outcomes of this paper may lead cheese producers to explore new arenas of cheesemaking and cheese distribution. Also, the results inform food tourism stakeholders of what consumers – both locals and tourists – gather when they buy cheese in a medium-sized European city. Originality/value This research offers an innovative approach to the study of the links between food and place. Based on the understanding of the origin of products, this paper leads to further comprehension of specialist food tourisms from the offer perspective, which may also drive to the development of a more robust destination gastronomic identity – in this case, through the particular provision of cheeses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-85
Author(s):  
Aleixo Fernandes ◽  
Marcelo Moll Brandao ◽  
Evandro Luiz Lopes ◽  
Filipe Quevedo-Silva

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence of the company’s reputation and individual consumer involvement in the relationship between satisfaction, loyalty and willingness to pay more for a product. Design/methodology/approach The method used is quantitative, by means of a survey with real consumers of automotive services of two vehicle dealerships, whose data were analyzed through linear regression analysis and conditional analysis of moderation. Findings The authors have identified that the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty and between loyalty and willingness to pay more for a product is entirely moderated by the (high) reputation of the brand and the (high) individual involvement of the consumer. Practical implications The study contributes to marketing managers as it demonstrates effect of brand reputation and involvement. Therefore, it is understood that these variables need to be considered in satisfaction surveys, as it has been proven that satisfaction alone cannot explain the variables of business performance (loyalty and willingness to pay). Originality/value The greatest innovation of this study is the identification of the total moderation between stated satisfaction and loyalty and between satisfaction and willingness to pay more. It has been demonstrated that high levels of brand reputation coupled with high levels of consumer involvement account for the fully dependent variables.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116
Author(s):  
Lin-Yi Tseng

Purpose In today’s Taiwan, sha-cha sauce is an indispensable ingredient for beef hot pot and stir-fried dishes. The purpose of this paper contextualizes the history of sha-cha sauce in Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, and argues that sha-cha sauce, introduced by Chaoshan immigrants, has contributed to new styles and habits of beef consumption tastes and habits in the post-1949 Tainan and beyond. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses documentary materials, oral interviews and diaries to explore the relationship between beef consumption and sha-cha sauce. It begins with an historical overview of Taiwan’s beef consumption during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945). Then, it focuses on two Chaoshan business enterprises: the Bull-Head, which makes the world’s largest “canned sha-cha sauce,” and the Xiao Haozhou, a Tainan restaurant specializing in sha-cha beef hot pot. Finally, this study analyzes Xinrong Wu, a Tainan gentry whose diary entries from 1933 to 1967 documented the changing dietary habits of beef consumption among Taiwanese. Findings The Chaoshan migrants played an important role in introducing the sha-cha sauce to postcolonial Tainan, and this input bolstered the beef consumption among Taiwanese. The production of sha-cha provided a reliable source of income for these migrants in Tainan, and major businesses like the Bull-Head became the international brands of Taiwanese food products. Research limitations/implications The study, though limited to Tainan, reveals the symbiosis between popularization of sha-cha sauce and widespread beef consumption in Taiwan. Practical implications This study helps researchers examine the connection between Chinese migrations and food culture. Originality/value This paper is an original scholarly investigation of the relationship between food diet and Chaoshan migration in postcolonial Tainan.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio J. Mateo-Márquez ◽  
José M. González-González ◽  
Constancio Zamora-Ramírez

Purpose This study aims to analyse the relationship between countries’ regulatory context and voluntary carbon disclosures. To date, little attention has been paid to how specific climate change-related regulation influences companies’ climate change disclosures, especially voluntary carbon reporting. Design/methodology/approach The New Institutional Sociology perspective has been adopted to examine the pressure of a country’s climate change regulation on voluntary carbon reporting. This research uses Tobit regression to analyse data from 2,183 companies in 12 countries that were invited to respond to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) questionnaire in 2015. Findings The results show that countries’ specific climate change-related regulation does influence both the participation of its companies in the CDP and their quality, as measured by the CDP disclosure score. Research limitations/implications The sample is restricted to 12 countries’ regulatory environment. Thus, caution should be exercised when generalising the results to other institutional contexts. Practical implications The results are of use to regulators and policymakers to better understand how specific climate change-related regulation influences voluntary carbon disclosure. Investors may also benefit from this research, as it shows which institutional contexts present greater regulatory stringency and how companies in more stringent environments take advantage of synergy to disclose high-quality carbon information. Social implications By linking regulatory and voluntary reporting, this study sheds light on how companies use voluntary carbon reporting to adapt to social expectations generated in their institutional context. Originality/value This is the first research that considers specific climate change-related regulation in the study of voluntary carbon disclosures.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Hudik

PurposeThis paper aims to determine to what extent hotels and peer-to-peer (P2P) facilities are substitutes for travelers. It then examines whether hotels target business travelers and P2P facilities target leisure travelers.Design/methodology/approachThe author collected characteristics of Shanghai hotels and P2P facilities from websites to determine on what basis the two accommodation types compete. The author then conducted a modified importance-performance analysis (IPA) to determine the relationship between accommodations' provision of these characteristics and their importance to Chinese business and leisure travelers.FindingsThe characteristics of hotels and P2P facilities systematically differ, and travelers perceive these differences as important. While the differences are significant across all price ranges, they are smaller for budget hotels than for high-end hotels. The modified IPA indicates that P2P facilities appeal more to leisure travelers than to business travelers. Yet hotels better satisfy the requirements of both types of travelers.Practical implicationsThe findings imply that P2P facilities can target lower- and middle-income vacationing families by charging lower prices. High-end hotels can compete by providing more diverse services and greater value to business travelers and higher-income leisure travelers. Budget hotels can reduce costs by not providing non-essential characteristics.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the discussion of the competition between hotels and P2P facilities by focusing on the Shanghai market. It uses the modified IPA to derive implications for lodging market segmentation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 839-866
Author(s):  
Cristóbal Sánchez-Rodríguez ◽  
Angel Rafael Martínez-Lorente ◽  
David Hemsworth

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze e-procurement in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its relationship with top management support, IT obstacles and strategic purchasing and the effect of e-procurement on performance (procurement performance and business performance). Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses were tested using a sample of 199 managers from SMEs in manufacturing. Findings The results indicated a significant relationship between e-procurement in SMEs and top management support, IT obstacles and strategic purchasing. Similarly, the authors found a positive relationship between e-procurement and procurement process performance and business performance. Practical implications The findings stress to SME managers, the need to pay attention to top management support, IT obstacles and strategic purchasing when implementing e-procurement. Similarly, it provides evidence of the benefits of e-procurement on procurement process performance and business performance. Originality/value This study fills a gap in the literature regarding e-procurement in SMEs and its impact on performance. SMEs constitute a significant part of today’s economies and e-procurement can significantly impact the performance of these organizations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-213
Author(s):  
Lucie Soucková ◽  
Dana Kominkova

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the historical pollution of the Hostivar Reservoir (largest reservoir in Prague) sediment by metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and identify the trends in pollution of aquatic environment. Design/methodology/approach Core samples, 140 cm long, recording the 45-year history of the reservoir, were separated to 5 cm width subsamples (approximately 1.5 years of sedimentation) and analyzed for metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Al), PAH and PCB. Following methods were used: US EPA 3051 for metals, US EPA 505 and US EPA 8082 A for PCB, and ISO 18287:2006 for PAH. Findings Most of the contaminants had the highest concentration at the beginning of the existence of the reservoir, suggesting that the contamination results from construction activities. Significant decrease of Pb occurred in the second half of the 1990s. It was caused by termination of the addition of lead as a detonation suppressant to the gasoline. Most concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and metals, except copper do not present eco-toxicological risk. Practical implications The results show the volume of priority pollutants removed from the reservoir by sediment extraction, and point risk to the terrestrial environment due to application of the sediment in the construction of a noise protecting wall. Originality/value The paper presents unique data about historical contamination of the largest reservoir in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. It shows how the watershed and the construction phase of the dam cause a pollution of the reservoir sediment and possible environmental risk for aquatic biota.


2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 179-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Lambert ◽  
Koon Leai Larry Tan ◽  
Kenneth Prandy ◽  
Vernon Gayle ◽  
Manfred Max Bergman

PurposeThis paper aims to present reasons why social classifications which use occupations should seek to adopt “specific” approaches which are tailored to the country, time period and gender of the subjects under study.Design/methodology/approachThe relative motivations for adopting a specific approach to social classifications are discussed and theoretical perspectives on specificity and empirical evidence on the contribution of specific approaches are reviewed. Also the practical costs of implementing specific social classifications are evaluated, and the authors' development of the “GEODE” data service (grid‐enabled occupational data environment), which seeks to assist this process, is discussed.FindingsSpecific approaches make a non‐trivial difference to the conclusions drawn from analyses of occupation‐based social classifications. It is argued that the GEODE service has reduced the practical challenges of implementing specific measures.Research limitations/implicationsThere remain conceptual and pragmatic challenges in working with specific occupation‐based social classifications. Non‐specific (“universal”) measures are adequate for many purposes.Practical implicationsThe paper argues that there are few excuses for ignoring specific occupation‐based social classifications.Originality/valueThe paper demonstrates that recent technological developments have shifted the balance in the long‐standing debate between universal and specific approaches to occupation‐based social classifications.


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