China’s demographic challenge may be manageable

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
East Asia ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mutual Learning ◽  
Economic Output ◽  
The Government ◽  
Demographic Challenge ◽  
A Share

Significance The decline in the workforce as a share of the population will take a toll on economic output and put pressure on government finances. Impacts Population ageing creates pressure to open up new areas of finance and healthcare to private sector and foreign investors. The government could, if necessary, resort to privatising state-owned assets to raise revenue. There is scope for mutual learning and cooperation between China and other rapidly ageing countries, in East Asia and Europe especially.

New Kazakhstan privatisations will interest investors

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Foreign Minister ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Privatisation Programme ◽  
The Government

Subject Potentially interesting IPOs in Kazakhstan. Significance On November 24, Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Alexey Volkov said that a new round of large-scale privatisations would help stimulate the development of the private sector. Given that the price of oil is likely to stay low for some time, optimisation of public spending is a key priority for Astana. The government's planned exit from state-owned enterprises should also bolster the latter's management and profitability. Impacts The privatisation programme may enable the government to refocus efforts on economic recovery. Corruption will remain a principal obstacle to the successful implementation of privatisation plans. Proximity to political influencers will be a valuable asset for foreign investors keen to partake in the privatisation drive.

Petrobras undermines Brazil's investment efforts

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Investor Sentiment ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brics Countries ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government

Significance A lagging economy, declining global commodity prices and the crippling corruption crisis affecting state-owned oil giant Petrobras (estimated at 17 billion dollars in losses) have compelled the government to travel the world seeking investments. This combination has transformed what Brasilia had expected to be a revenue windfall into a shortfall, persuading the formerly inward-looking government to pursue external investment sources, including the US private sector and other BRICS countries. Impacts Brazil's current woes may represent an opportunity for foreign investors. However, the Petrobras scandal will continue to undermine investor sentiment. Current private forecasts point to recession both this year and next. Corruption claims could yet put the government at risk.

South African government’s GBV plans may disappoint

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Structure ◽  
National Strategic Plan ◽  
The Government ◽  
Gender Based

Significance Although President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly committed to increase funding to combat what he calls South Africa’s “second pandemic”, there is a lack of transparency in how the government disburses funds linked to its National Strategic Plan (NSP) on Gender-based Violence and Femicide. Impacts Civil society groups will increase pressure on the government to make expenditure on GBV programmes more transparent. A new private-sector fund to contribute to the NSP has received strong early support, but its management structure is opaque. High levels of GBV will not only have significant humanitarian and social costs but may deter much-needed foreign investment.

The impact of open government data on accountability and transparency

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena ◽  
Irfan Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Accountability, citizen participation and transparency are the three pillars on which open government data (OGD) is based. As such, OGD implies that the government shall provide data freely via the internet so that the same may be re-used for diverse purposes. It is hoped that by re-using government data, public value shall be co-created and government services might be improved upon with the involvement of different stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to underline the impact of OGD on accountability and transparency in the context of Pakistan where OGD initiative is taking roots for quite some time now. In the present study, the authors seek to investigate the challenges being faced by the professionals in the private sector and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan. Besides, the authors also seek inputs from the respondents in the manner in which OGD initiative of Pakistan has impact on ensuring accountability and transparency. Design/methodology/approach For conducting the review of the national OGD portal of Pakistan, the authors invoke documentary analysis wherein the authors investigate the features of the national OGD portal of Pakistan. Furthermore, the authors conducted structured interviews with 49 senior management representatives from private sector and NGOs in order to gauge the challenges encountered by them in tapping OGD from diverse online public sources. Findings Respondents aver that robust statistical analysis is not feasible via the data sets being shared by the online sources. More initiatives are required on the part of the government bodies to release the data sets which have remained confined in silos. Government should institutionalize an OGD policy and promote the re-use of OGD by the professionals from diverse backgrounds. At present, only educational data are being shared by the OGD portal of Pakistan and it is important that more data sets are being released in the public domain. Furthermore, the respondents perceive that in a bid to be more accountable and transparent, the government bodies should release data sets via the online channels which are user-friendly. Research limitations/implications The present study conducted a qualitative research where the number of respondents was relatively less. Further research is required by adopting quantitative approach in order to accommodate more respondents and lend reliability to the study. Nevertheless, the study holds implications for academicians and practitioners in the sense that while it is needed that further research be conducted on the OGD initiative of Pakistan, it is imperative that policy makers get involved in institutionalizing the OGD initiative of Pakistan at national and local levels. Social implications Professionals might be better involved in creating and co-creating products and services by tapping OGD. Originality/value Given that OGD initiative in Pakistan is in a nascent stage and research is wanting in exploring the nature and scope of Pakistan’s OGD, the present study seeks to contribute toward the existing OGD literature.

The supply-side of corruption: a review of scenario, causes and prevention measure

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurfarizan Mazhani Mahmud ◽  
Intan Salwani Mohamed ◽  
Roshayani Arshad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
The Government ◽  
High Level

Purpose This paper aims to provide a proper understanding of corruption in the private sector, also known as the supply-side of corruption. It also presents the causes of corrupt practices and points out the corporations’ actions to mitigate corrupt behaviour in the business environment. Design/methodology/approach This study reviews the prior literature on the phenomenon of corruption in the private sector, its causes and the preventive measures that should be implemented. Findings Corruption in the private sector was associated with a firm’s interaction with the public sector, and the most common corruption in the private sector is grand corruption, which is improper contribution made to high-level public officials and politicians. The causes of corruption in the private sector can be explained from several dimensions: economy, psychosocial and legal and regulation. Preventative measures encompass both internal strategies, which are endogenous to business and external strategies like exogenous legislation and restrictions enforced by the government or outside organizations. Originality/value The efficient strategies in combating corruption need active cooperation and participation from the supply-side of corruption. Thus, this study contributes to the literature on the theoretical understanding of the corruption problem from the supply-side and responsibility play by the private sector in global anti-corruption initiatives.

Family friendly policies and the Omani Labour Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-348
Author(s):  
Shweta Belwal ◽  
Rakesh Belwal ◽  
Suhaila Ebrahim Al-Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Family Friendly ◽  
Workplace Policies ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to take cognisance of the work–life balance (WLB) challenges facing working women in Oman, make a review of the family-friendly policies (FFPs), related provisions in labour laws of various nations, and identify and suggest some FFP-based solutions for attracting women to private sector jobs. Design/methodology/approach Initially, desk research was used to review the labour laws of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and some pioneering countries known for their workplace policies using the major electronic databases and official websites. An exploratory approach was used to understand the lived experience of participants using 46 in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and the findings were explained and contextualised in terms of the Arab culture, wider social processes and consequences related to WLB. Findings The interviews revealed that the majority of women in the private sector are not fully aware of the labour laws and FFPs, and are not satisfied with the existing policies, as they do not provide the right WLB. Women in the private sector demand flexible working hours, privacy at work, reduced work hours and certain other benefits akin to the government sector. Omani Labour Law needs a review of FFPs in line with the best global practices and Oman’s diversification initiatives. The provision, awareness and implementation of FFPs in the workplace are necessary to attract Omani women to private sector jobs. Research limitations/implications This research focusses on Oman in particular and GCC countries in general in its coverage of Omani women workers. The outcomes would be important for the specific segment but would have limited potential to generalise. Practical implications The study of WLB and FFPs is of interest for both academia and industry globally. In its strategic vision 2040, Oman aims to encourage, support and develop the private sector to drive the national economy. To retain and boost the socio-economic development in the post-oil economy, the success of the private sector will depend on the participation of the Omani workforce. The role of working Omani women will be pivotal, for they form a substantial part of the skilled human resources inventory. Social implications Women working in Oman are influenced by labour laws, organisational culture, traditional attitudes and societal values and influences. The voices of women working in the private sector indicate a great need to create awareness of existing policies, ensure their compliance and devise additional workplace policies to enable women to contribute to the labour market. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies examining work policies and employment of women in the context of Oman in particular and the GCC Countries in general. Even in the extant literature, the sectoral imbalance between the government and private sector has not been explored from the perspective of WLB and FFPs. This study presents a unique approach and findings in this regard.

New government in Guyana will face challenges

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Government Spending ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Consensus Building ◽  
Business Climate ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Tension ◽  
National Congress ◽  
The Government ◽  
Progressive Party

Significance The government has changed hands only once since independence in 1966: in 1992 the People's Progressive Party (PPP), led by Cheddi Jagan, assumed power following 26 years of People's National Congress (PNC) government. Since the last election in 2011 the government has been hamstrung by a parliament in which a coalition of opposition parties, including the PNC, held a one-seat majority. The result has been gridlock, with no new legislation approved, and continuous disputes over the budget, government spending and agreements with foreign investors. Impacts The election could allow a new government to work toward consensus-building. This might facilitate policies to develop Guyana's potential, and narrow the socioeconomic gap with the rest of the region. If the result is close, political tension and deadlock will persist, undermining the business climate, investment and social progress.

Myanmar regulation reform will spur investment

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Business Climate ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Administration ◽  
Regulation Reform ◽  
The Government

Subject Myanmar's business environment. Significance The government is instituting measures to improve the business climate and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the economy. As part of this effort, on February 24, it instituted the Competition Act. However, while there has been an influx of new FDI, foreign investors remain wary -- largely because of the challenges of navigating Myanmar's old and complex regulatory environment. Impacts Economic reforms could slow in the event of an opposition electoral victory, as the new government gains experience. Improvements to the business environment could be constrained by a faltering or failed ethnic peace process. Regulatory reforms backed up by effective administration could contribute to equitable economic growth.

United Kingdom to strengthen cybersecurity nationally

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
A Priority ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Naming And Shaming

Subject The United Kingdom's new cybersecurity strategy. Significance The UK government on November 1 published its Cybersecurity Strategy for 2016-21. The new strategy doubles the previous investment in cyber to 1.9 billion pounds (2.4 billion dollars) during a time of government cutbacks, making it clear that the government regards cybersecurity as a priority. Impacts Despite serious investment, the government will still face a challenge in recruiting those with the required cyber skills. Given the expertise in the private sector, public-private partnerships will continue to be vital for protecting UK networks. ‘Naming and shaming’ cyber aggressors may become more prevalent as states seek to deter further cyberattacks. Governments may also increasingly focus on developing offensive cyber tools that can be used to counter-strike.

Mongolia mine move raises nationalisation fears

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Public Support ◽  
The State ◽  
Russian Government ◽  
Mining Company ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Main Obstacle ◽  
The Government

Subject The sale of the Erdenet mine. Significance The day before parliamentary elections in June last year, Prime Minister Saikhanbileg Chimed announced the sale of 49% of shares held by the Russian government in the Erdenet Mining Corporation and the Mongolrostsvetmet mining company to Mongolia Copper Corporation, an unknown private Mongolian company. Subsequent parliamentary inquiry concluded that the sale was unconstitutional and the government ordered the shares transferred to the state on February 16 this year. The government’s actions received wide public support while polls reveal that the electorate views corruption as the main obstacle to Mongolia’s development Impacts Talk of 'nationalisation' in the Western media threatens to derail Mongolia's efforts to fix its image and attract foreign investors. The unusual circumstances of the sale raise suspicions of corruption and collusion between Mongolia's previous government and largest bank. The new government's will to scrutinise sale demonstrates the strength of Mongolia’s democracy.

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