Philippines institutional erosion likely to intensify

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Political Power ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Internal Security ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Institutional Stability

Significance Duterte is a powerful president with strong support among elected Philippine politicians and the public. Nevertheless, his methods are stoking controversy with concerns of an 'elected dictatorship' which could undermine Philippine judicial, legislative and executive institutions' integrity. Impacts Investor concern is unlikely unless they perceive that the crime crackdown is out of control. Growing personalisation of political power will weaken the congress, including its capacity and will to scrutinise laws. The medium-term risk to institutional stability and credibility could see ratings downgrades. Equally, a successful crime crackdown could aid economic growth and internal security.

Employees’ customer orientation and customer satisfaction in the public utility sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenyuan Li ◽  
Wisdom Wise Kwabla Pomegbe ◽  
Courage Simon Kofi Dogbe ◽  
Jewel Dela Novixoxo
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Orientation ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Service Quality ◽  
The Public

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how perceived service quality mediates employees’ customer orientation and customer satisfaction in the public utility sector. Design/methodology/approach The study focused on the commercial customers (small and medium-scale enterprises– (SMEs)) of Electricity Company of Ghana Ltd. There were 350 SMEs sampled for the study, and each had no more than 99 employees. Respondents were either owner-managers or employee-managers. Structural equation model (SEM) was used in estimating the effects among the variables studied. Findings Most public institutions have a built-in customer base, and therefore places less emphasis on employees’ customer orientation. This notwithstanding, findings revealed that employees’ customer orientation behaviors significantly impacted customers’ perceived service quality and satisfaction toward public institutions. Similarly, customers’ perceived service quality influenced their satisfaction toward public institutions. SMEs serve as an engine for economic growth in an economy, and therefore public institutions must consider their peculiar needs in the delivery of service to them. Originality/value This study pointed out that, employees’ customer orientation behaviors of public institutions have an influence on customers’ perceived service quality and satisfaction. Previous studies on these concepts have largely focused on the private sector, where there are lots of competition. This study also specifically studied commercial customers (SMEs) of public institution, which is quite novel, especially in relation to the concepts studied. And the contribution of SMEs to economic growth makes their study even much more important.

scholarly journals Selling Out or Standing Firm? Explaining the Design of Civil War Peace Agreements

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-342
Author(s):  
Deniz Cil ◽  
Alyssa K Prorok
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Political Power ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Military Power ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Benefits ◽  
Peace Agreements ◽  
Settlement Agreements

Abstract When do rebel leaders “sell out” their constituents in the terms of peace by signing agreements that benefit group elites over the rebel constituency, and when do they instead “stand firm,” pushing for settlement terms that benefit the public they claim to represent? This article examines variation in the design of civil war settlement agreements. It argues that constituents, fighters, and rebel elites have different preferences over the terms of peace, and that rebel leaders will push for settlements that reflect the preferences of whichever audience they are most reliant on and accountable to. In particular, leaders of groups that are more civilian-reliant for their military and political power are more likely to sign agreements that favor broad benefits for civilian constituents, while leaders who do not depend on civilian support for their political and military power will sign agreements with fewer public benefits. We test this argument using original data on the design of all final peace agreements reached between 1989 and 2009, and several proxies for the group's level of reliance on civilian supporters. Using a variety of statistical tests and accounting for nonrandom selection into peace agreements, we find strong support for our hypothesis.

Tensions to shape, but not derail, Ivory Coast poll

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Civil War ◽  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
User Fees ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High User ◽  
Infrastructure Investments

Significance The most serious challenger to President Alassane Ouattara's re-election, N'Guessan's candidacy probably marks the end of election boycotts by FPI, but rifts linger from the 2010-11 civil war. Impacts Large-scale infrastructure investments will facilitate medium-term economic growth, despite possible volatility around the election. Foreign investors are likely to refrain from making major decisions before the poll but inflows will pick up in 2016. High user fees for the new Henri Konan Bedie toll bridge in Abidjan will probably reduce congestion by commuters. High global cocoa prices and robust output (Ivory Coast is the world's largest producer) will buoy government revenues.

Iraq's Abadi likely to survive reform challenge

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
Step Down

Significance Criticism of his reforms, which involve sweeping cuts to government positions and an anti-corruption drive, has mounted in recent weeks despite initially receiving strong support from Shia politicians. However, parliamentarians are now openly debating whether parliament should withdraw its support for the reforms, with some even suggesting that Abadi should step down. Impacts Abadi's reform drive may stall if he is forced to reverse his cuts to government positions and create new ones to rebuild his support base. Failure to rein in public spending will affect Iraq's attempts to seek international financial assistance. Abadi's weakening would strengthen the Shia militias, and thereby reduce prospects for reconciliation with the Sunni community. It would also increase attempts by hardliners to sideline the US military in the fight against ISG. Abadi may well climb down on the public sector salary issue and attempt to depoliticise it.

Higher Chile growth faces domestic and external risks

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growing Economy ◽  
Fiscal Austerity ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Imf

Significance After four sluggish years, economic growth has been picking up steadily since mid-2017. However, as noted by Moody’s, medium-term prospects remain hampered by reliance on copper exports as, in the shorter term, has also been apparent in the context of the tariff war between the United States and China. Impacts According to the IMF, Chile will be the region’s fastest-growing economy this year, just ahead of Peru. The government will walk tightrope between a need for fiscal austerity and social demands. The tariff war will underscore the pressing need for diversification out of commodity exports.

Equatorial Guinea’s VP will consolidate his position

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
Vice President ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Criticism

Significance Despite the public criticism, Obama Asue was soon reappointed. This was due largely to the reported intervention of the president’s son, Vice-President Teodorin Obiang, a controversial figure who is increasingly positioning himself to take over from his father. Impacts Teodorin is more likely to succeed his father after the 2023 elections, unless his father is incapacitated before then. A Teodorin presidency will increase Equatorial Guinea's dependency on China given his poor relations with Western governments. Low oil prices and COVID-19-related disruption could see the country’s economic crisis extend into the medium term.

How public-private partnership projects impact infrastructure industry for economic growth

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 994-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abouzar Zangoueinezhad ◽  
Adel Azar
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Public-private partnership (PPP) is mutually beneficial relationships that are formed between the public and private sectors. The private-sector partner typically makes a substantial equity investment, and in return the public sector gains access to new or improved services. When properly vetted and structured, PPP allocate risk to the party best suited to handle it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the scale and nature of the PPP's contribution as a driver of the economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP). Design/methodology/approach – Using statistics causality modeling and relevant statistical techniques, the dynamic interactions and interdependencies over PPP and economic growth were addressed and quantified. Findings – Although PPP can free up government resources for other public priorities, three key factors enable PPP to stimulate a country's economic growth: the number of PPP projects under way, the value of PPP projects, and the ideal type of PPP contracts in use. Originality/value – The number, value, and type of PPP, combined with supportive policies, power economic growth. Governments with well-established and enforced policies against corruption, combined with low business transaction costs, a transparent legislative system, and exchange rate and monetary stability are far more attractive to the private sector.

Public investments, productivity and economic growth

2017 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Murova ◽  
Aman Khan
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Tax Revenue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Investments ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Service Sectors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to estimate the efficiency of public investments and their impact on economic growth in the USA using panel data. Results of the study show highly significant and positive relationships between gross state product (GSP) and expenditures on education, transportation, health, welfare, and public safety (police and fire), and negative but significant relationships between output and employment in health care and public safety services. Inefficiencies in the study are measured using per capita tax revenue and time. Tax revenue has a very minimal positive and significant effect on efficiency, while time inversely relates to efficiency. Design/methodology/approach The present study uses SFA to investigate the efficiency of government expenditures in five service sectors – education, transportation, health, welfare, and public safety (police and fire), using recent data and economic trends. The study hypothesizes that changes in the current levels of expenditures in the public sector have a significant impact on the aggregate economy, as measured by GSP. The study uses GSP as the dependent (output) variable, and government expenditure on the five service sectors as the independent (input) variables. Findings Analysis of efficiency for individual states for all 21 years produced interesting results. Overall, the technical efficiency of the public sector was quite high. The average TE score across all years and all states was 0.878. This suggests that public sector operates at a relatively high efficiency level. Originality/value The current SFA model followed Battese and Coelli approach of estimating efficiency of public sectors in each state of the USA. It allowed estimation of policy impact on the overall efficiency. It was applied to macroeconomic panel data.

Chile's pollution problems require regulatory rethink

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Agenda ◽  
The Government

Subject Air pollution concerns. Significance After a decade in which air quality in Chilean cities has shown little progress and has, in some cases, deteriorated, a two-week smog crisis in Santiago has highlighted the need for a reinvigorated approach to the problem. This is particularly the case because the crisis was triggered by lack of rainfall, one of the expected effects of climate change in central Chile. Impacts According to the government, air pollution-related illnesses continue to cost between 670 million and 1.9 billion dollars annually. Air pollution is primarily a winter problem and tends to slip out of the public agenda during the rest of the year. In a context of slow economic growth, tighter industry emissions standards would face important business opposition.

Prospects for African economies in 2019

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan

Subject Prospects for African economies in 2019. Significance Sub-Saharan Africa’s gradual recovery is set to strengthen in 2019 with regional GDP growth seen accelerating to 3.1% from 2.7% in 2018, led by recoveries in the three largest economies -- Angola, Nigeria and South Africa. Looking ahead, economic growth is expected to average around 4% over the medium term, reflecting continuing convergence between high- and low-performing countries, although wide disparities will persist.

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