Brazil's BNDES may improve transparency practices

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developing World ◽  
National Development ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Development Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Financing Infrastructure ◽  
China Development

Subject The National Development Bank. Significance Development banks of the developing world, like Brazil's National Development Bank (BNDES) and the China Development Bank, play an increasing role in financing infrastructure projects in other developing countries. A challenge for understanding the role of this lending is that transparency by these banks has been low. In 2015, the BNDES put a complete record of its support for the export of Brazilian goods and services online, allowing an analysis of its past patterns of lending. Impacts The BNDES has improved its transparency but corruption issues still plague many of its loan recipients. The drop-off in new projects appears set to continue despite the need for infrastructure funding. The focus may also increasingly concentrate on Brazil rather than projects by Brazilian companies elsewhere.

China Development Bank

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiyuan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Transition Economy ◽  
National Development ◽  
Credit System ◽  
Development Bank ◽  
The World ◽  
Government Credit ◽  
The Government ◽  
Financing Infrastructure ◽  
China Development ◽  
China’S Economy

Established in 1994, the China Development Bank was soon on the verge of bankruptcy, but then it miraculously recovered in early 2000s. Now with total assets of USD 1.85 trillion, CDB ranks as one of the largest and most dynamic national development banks in the world. This chapter explores in detail the CDB’s role in light of China’s transition economy. CDB is a key contributor to the establishment of an adequate local government credit system and a facilitator for infrastructure construction. Therefore, CDB’s role goes beyond financing infrastructure. It is above all a shaper of the government credit system, and one of the starting points for understanding China’s economy.

Could CSR improve the financial performance of developing countries’ firms? Analyses of mediating effect of intangible resources

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hamdoun ◽  
Mohamed Akli Achabou ◽  
Sihem Dekhili
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to examine the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance in the context of developing countries. More specifically, the mediating role of a firm’s competitive advantage and intangible resources, namely, human capital and reputation are studied. Design/methodology/approach The study considered a sample of 100 Tunisian firms. The analysis makes use of the structural equation modelling method to explore the relationship between CSR and financial performance, by including mediator variables. Findings The results confirm that CSR has no significant direct effect on financial performance. In particular, they indicate that the social dimension of CSR has a negative impact on performance. However, CSR does have a positive impact on competitive advantage via the two intangible resources considered, human capital and company reputation. Research limitations/implications The research fills a gap that occurred in the previous literature. In effect, previous studies focussed only on the direct link between CSR and financial performance. In addition, it enriches the limited literature on CSR strategies in the context of developing countries. However, further studies should explore the opposite relationship, i.e. the impact of financial performance on CSR strategy. In addition, the authors believe that amongst other potential research avenues, it would be interesting to study the moderating role of the activity sector. Practical implications From a practical point of view, this study suggests new applications with respect to the link between CSR and financial performance. To enhance their company’s financial performance, managers need to ensure that intangible resources are managed efficiently. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature by examining how a firm’s intangible resources mediate between CSR and competitive advantage and how competitive advantage mediates between intangible resources and financial performance. Second originality is related to the study of the link between CSR and the financial performance of business organisations in the context of a developing country.

scholarly journals Design for safety in construction in Nigeria: a qualitative inquiry of the critical opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnedinma Umeokafor ◽  
Chioma Okoro ◽  
Ikechukwu Diugwu ◽  
Tariq Umar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Design ◽  
Design For Safety ◽  
Geographic Differences ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical opportunities for design for safety (DFS), the potential statutory (and non-statutory) health and safety (H&S) responsibilities of designers including DFS and its workability in developing countries.Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted among 28 multi-designers including Architects, Civil Engineers and Builders and the data was analysed thematically.FindingsThe study revealed that the likelihood of designers, clients, etc. inclining to change because of the infancy stage of H&S in developing countries, making it “fallow” for H&S was a barrier. The opportunities for DFS include the willingness of designers to develop DFS skills and knowledge, which results in a welcoming attitude towards DFS. Further, the success recorded by professional bodies on other regulatory matters and designers' greater inclination to comply with DFS when professional bodies are involved in the regulatory process of DFS remain key opportunities for DFS.Practical implicationsFor statutory-backed DFS to achieve the objective at the optimum level, the role of professional bodies in the regulatory and sensitisation processes, geographic differences in DFS legislation enforcement, nuanced and strategic design and enforcement of any legislation that will support DFS should be taken into consideration.Social implicationsA grassroots collaborative approach to developing and implementing DFS in the country and the exploitation of the zeal of designers to have DFS-related knowledge, is recommended.Originality/valueTo the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that examines the opportunities for DFS in developing countries when it is (or not) supported by statute and the need to advance the understanding of DFS in developing countries through qualitative enquiry.

The role of audit committees in mitigating earnings management: evidence from Jordan

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taha Almarayeh ◽  
Modar Abdullatif ◽  
Beatriz Aibar-Guzmán
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Discretionary Accruals ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study examines the relationship between audit committees (ACs) and earnings management (EM) in the developing country context of Jordan. In particular, it investigates whether audit committee attributes, including their size, independence, expertise and meetings, are able to restrict discretionary accruals as a proxy for EM.Design/methodology/approachThe generalized least square (GLS) regression was used to study the association between audit committee attributes and discretionary accruals, as a proxy of EM, for a sample of industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period 2012–2020. Data were obtained from the firms' annual reports.FindingsThe regression results indicate that audit committee independence is the only audit committee attribute that seems to improve the effectiveness of ACs, in that it is significantly associated with less EM, while other audit committee attributes that were tested do not show statistically significant associations.Research limitations/implicationsIn emerging markets, like Jordan, ACs may not be an efficient monitoring mechanism; therefore, it can be argued that the prediction made by the agency theory about the role of ACs in mitigating opportunistic EM activities does not necessarily apply to all contexts.Practical implicationsA better understanding of audit committee effectiveness in developing countries could help regulators in these countries assess the impact of planned corporate governance (CG) reforms and to better monitor and enhance the performance of ACs.Social implicationsIn a setting characterized by closely held companies, high power distance and low demand for high-quality CG mechanisms, this study contributes to understanding how this business system operates, and how improving CG mechanisms could be successful in such cultures.Originality/valueThis study investigates the under-researched relationship between audit committee characteristics and EM in developing countries. In so doing, it aims to provide new insights into this relationship within the developing context case of Jordan, including if and how the institutional setting influences this relationship.

Smart technologies challenges and issues in social inclusion – case of disabled youth in a developing country

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bissane Harb ◽  
Dina Sidani
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Millennium Development Goals ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Smart Technologies

Purpose In light of the emphasis on “inclusion” in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the notion of social inclusion encompasses the goal of granting opportunities for disabled people, integrate them and make them participate in the new environment. Referring to the capability theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in the social inclusion of disabled young people in Lebanon. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a qualitative approach based on a series of focused semi-structured interviews with 11 participants occupying key positions in aid associations for disabled people. Findings The findings suggest that smart technologies can enhance social inclusion through three key factors: the nature of impairment and other personal characteristics of disabled people, the resources available to them and the environmental aspects provided by government policies and society’s cultural practices. In the contemporary society characterized by an increasing role of ICTs, the findings of this research could contribute to lead the developing countries to a sustainable and inclusive world through social inclusion of their youth. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations that should be mentioned. First, it was conducted only on a small sample size (with 11 interviewees). Further empirical research must be conducted on larger sample to build and elaborate on the findings. Second, the results are mainly based on the points of view of people working in aid associations for disabled people. In future research, semi-structured interviews can be carried out with the disabled people themselves or with members of their family to ask them about their personal experience with smart technologies and the impact of this on their social inclusion. It was also suggested that the future research should explore the challenges of inclusion for different categories of disabled people separately because they are not all facing the same issues and the same challenges. Furthermore, as this paper focuses on the role of smart technologies in the development of social inclusion of disabled people, future research could take place with other groups, for example, Palestinian and Syrian refugees, to identify whether these groups are experiencing similar challenges and barriers when trying to use smart technologies as a way to enhance their social inclusion. Practical implications Related to a larger and broader approach, social inclusion of disabled or marginalized people or refugees in developing countries could be a way to commit to a sustainable and inclusive world, in alignment with the eight goals of the Millennium Development Goals. Originality/value Related to a larger and broader approach, social inclusion of disabled or marginalized people or refugees in developing countries could be a way to commit to a sustainable and inclusive world, in alignment with the eight goals of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Role of Media in Perpetuating or Obstructing Gender Equality in the Context of Developing World

2018 ◽  
pp. 723-733
Author(s):  
Prabartana Das
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
The Media ◽  
Developed World

Media engineers subtle ways in which gender bias can persist in society and ensures the perpetuation of women subjugation in the society. In this chapter I want to excavate the various factors which contributes to the augmentation of gender biases by the media and how the media in developing countries strengthens the cause patriarchy masquerading in the façade of preserving traditions and customs? I also intend to unravel how perennial problems like illiteracy and abject poverty further dents the project of women empowerment and how deeply entrenched patriarchal values manipulate the media to withhold emancipation in true sense. How women even after being qualified suffers from several negative effects undermining her own status? It will also be interesting to delve into the ways in which gendered media is far more subversive and ubiquitous in the developing world than developed world. And lastly how the gender bias in media can be curbed in the light of social and political awakening in women in particular and the development of human ingenuity and consciousness in general.

5. The Developing World in International Politics

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Hobden
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
International Politics ◽  
Developing World ◽  
International System ◽  
Nuclear Proliferation ◽  
Global Politics ◽  
The Cold War

This chapter examines the role of developing countries in international politics. International relations, as a discipline, has traditionally overlooked the significance of the developing world in global politics. The chapter begins by discussing the reasons for this and why such an oversight is lamentable. It then considers the position of the developing world throughout the large structural changes that have occurred in the international system since 1945: North–South relations during and after the Cold War and the emerging multipolar world, in which China is anticipated to return to the centre of international politics. The chapter also explores topics such as the United Nations’s involvement in development issues and its role in decolonization, U.S. foreign policy under the two Obama administrations, and nuclear proliferation.

Trust: mediator between mobile money adoption and usage and financial inclusion

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1215-1237
Author(s):  
George Okello Candiya Bongomin ◽  
Joseph Ntayi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mobile Network ◽  
Mobile Telephone ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mobile Money ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Recently, a large body of research has been devoted on the role of trust in shaping different types of transactions, especially in rural financial development. Trust is a set of expectations shared by all those who engage in an exchange. Indeed, the “rule of the game” suggests that no trusting party in a transaction should act opportunistically. Consequently, this study aims to establish the mediating effect of trust in the relationship between mobile money adoption and usage and financial inclusion of MSMEs in developing countries with a specific focus on rural Uganda. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey-based study was used and responses obtained from 379 MSMEs located in northern Uganda were analysed using partial least square-PLS version 3.0. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed from scales and items used in previous studies referenced in internationally recognised journals to elicit responses from the MSMEs. Structural equation modelling was used to test the models to arrive at a final empirical model derived from the data. Findings The authors found evidence that trust enhances mobile money adoption and usage to increase the scope of financial inclusion of MSMEs in developing countries. Moreover, when individual effect was determined, trust also had significant and positive effect on financial inclusion. Thus, the study results imply that trust enhances mobile money adoption and usage to improve the level of financial inclusion of MSMEs in developing countries. Research limitations/implications The study used cross-sectional data to document the relationship between mobile money adoption and usage and financial inclusion and to establish the mediating effect of trust in the relationship. Future research could use relevant longitudinal data to verify other benefits of trust. Practical implications The results present trust as a significant factor for FINTECH financial services marketing and growth. Specifically, data privacy and effectiveness of the mobile telephone network is more likely to help consumers to bridge the gap between participation and non-participation on the mobile money platform. Customers’ data sent over the mobile network of providers should be protected from unnecessary access and usage by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) staff and unauthorised persons and agents. Data protection protocols should be set by the MNOs to avoid unnecessary access and use of customers’ data. Originality/value Globally, Fintech scholars have examined the role of mobile money in promoting financial inclusion. However, there is insufficient evidence on the mediating effect of trust in the relationship between mobile money adoption and usage and financial inclusion, especially among rural MSMEs. This study invents a novel direction on the importance of trust in creating transaction efficiency by eliminating opportunism and fraud with in the Fintech ecosystem.

Access to skilled labor, institutions and firm performance in developing countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charilaos Mertzanis ◽  
Mona Said
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Technological Progress ◽  
Skilled Labor ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Development Institutions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of access to skilled labor in explaining firms’ sales growth subject to the controlling influence of a wide range of firm-specific characteristics and country-level economic and non-economic factors. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses a consistent and large firm-level data set from the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys that includes 138 developing countries. An instrumental variables model with a GMM estimator is used for estimating the impact of access to skilled labor on firm performance. In order to obtain more robust estimators, the analysis introduces country-level controls reflecting the influence of economic and institutional factors, such as economic and financial development, institutional governance, education and technological progress. Findings The results document a significant and positive association between access to skilled labor and firm performance in the developing world. The explanatory power of access to skilled labor remains broadly robust after controlling for a wide range of firm-specific characteristics: sectoral and geographical influences matter. The results also show that the association between labor skill constraints and firm performance is mitigated by country-level factors but in diverse ways. Development, institutions, education and technological progress exert various mitigating effects on firm-level behavior regarding access to skilled labor. Originality/value The paper’s novel contribution is threefold: first, it uses joint firm, sector and country-level information to analyze the role of access to skilled labor on firm performance; second, it uses consistently produced information at the firm level from 138 developing countries; and, third, it considers the controlling impact of a wide range of country-level factors that reflect a country’s overall development, institutions and evolution.

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