scholarly journals The performance effects of attitudes of management vis-à-vis employee representatives in Belgium

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette van den Berg ◽  
Arjen van Witteloostuijn ◽  
Christophe Boone ◽  
Olivier Van der Brempt
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Works Councils ◽  
Employee Representation ◽  
Performance Effects ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Works Council ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to move beyond the usual analysis of the effects of worker representation. Instead of estimating the impact of the mere presence of works councils on business achievements, the focus is on the performance effects of managerial attitudes vis-à-vis worker representation. More precisely, the authors study whether managerial willingness to cooperate with employee representatives and giving them a (timely) say in company policies translates into better company performance. Design/methodology/approach After an introduction of the typical Belgian workplace representation, the authors briefly discuss the relevant literature and the sample, leading to several hypotheses. The data are from a survey in Belgium complemented with annual report information. Hypotheses are tested with hierarchical OLS regression. Special attention is given to moderating and mediating effects. Findings The authors find that especially the timing of involving worker representatives in company decision making has a significant impact on labor productivity. More broadly, the authors reveal that these managerial attitudes matter more in larger establishments. Research limitations/implications Although nationwide, representative, and statistically valid, the data set is quite small (142 usable observations), which obstructs the application of refined estimation techniques. Practical implications Practical advice should be conditional on country context and size class. In Belgium, smaller enterprises can boost their performance by involving the works council rather late in the process. Probably, this has to do with the powerful position of Belgian unions in works councils. The managerial implications for larger Belgian establishments are very different, however. In these cases, earlier involvement of the works council is advised, as this will enhance the establishment’s performance. Originality/value Belgian works councils reflect a specific employee representation system that is rarely studied. More broadly, attitudinal effects are under-researched. The data set is unique, combining subjective with objective data, so reducing the risk of respondents’ bias.

scholarly journals Employee workplace representation in Belgium: effects on firm performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette van den Berg ◽  
Arjen van Witteloostuijn ◽  
Olivier Van der Brempt
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Mediation Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employee Representation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether works councils (WCs) in Belgium have a positive effect on firm performance, notably productivity and profitability, while taking the role of trade unions into account. Design/methodology/approach The authors first introduce the typical Belgian industrial relations system, discussing the similarities and differences with neighboring countries. This is followed by a brief overview of the relevant literature. Subsequently, the impact of Belgian employee representation on firm performance is estimated by means of OLS, using a newly developed questionnaire administered among Belgian CEOs. Special attention is given to moderating and mediating effects. Findings The authors find that Belgian WCs have a small (direct) significantly positive effect on labor productivity, but not on profitability. The additional results of the mediation test show tentatively that WCs might affect profitability indirectly, through their impact on productivity. Despite trade unions’ dominance in practice, the findings reveal that their impact is insignificant. Research limitations/implications Although nationwide, rich and representative, as well as statistically valid, the data set is rather small (196 usable observations). The data set offers ample opportunities to further explore what makes effective Belgian WCs different from their non-effective counterparts. Originality/value The data set is unique, and combines subjective CEO with objective performance data. The data offer the opportunity to do a first study into the special case of Belgium, which has a distinct union-dominated IR regime. In this study, the focus is furthermore on the rarely studied WC-trade union interaction. In addition, subtle moderation and mediation effects are estimated.

scholarly journals Firms’ performance during the COVID-19 outbreak: international evidence from 13 countries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Golubeva
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Performance Model ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Performance Measurements ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Country Specific

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of firm-, finance- and country-specific indicators to the performance of companies under the COVID-19 outbreak. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a regression performance model for enterprises during the COVID-19 crisis. The investigation is based upon a data set of 5,730 firms from 13 countries collected by the World Bank through enterprise surveys. The author combined the analysis of traditional performance measurements with the testing of relatively novel variables. Findings This study confirms the significance of multiple factors for company performance: sector, size, participation in exports and market demand for firms’ products. Robust financing solutions during the coronavirus pandemic period include equity contributions, followed by firms’ cash balances and debt. Support by a government, however, has not yet been confirmed as a significant source of finance. This paper also suggests the importance of country-specific factors for the performance of enterprises, including the level of economic development and the corporate governance infrastructure. Practical implications The research outcomes might assist regulatory bodies, policymakers and companies in their formulation of public and corporate governance strategies concerning future emergency preparedness and responses. Originality/value This paper is among the first empirical studies in the management realm that addresses the impact of COVID-19 on company performance, with cross-national empirical data.

Land under roads and the power of politic

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-91
Author(s):  
Hassan Mohamed Abdalla Elhawary
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Adoption ◽  
Analytical Review ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to answer the following questions: What are the theoretical and practical antecedents for recognising land under roads (LUR) as an asset in local government financial reports? Why was the process of regulating this aspect of accounting practice so protracted and so controversial? Design/methodology/approach The method used a critical analytical review and synthesis of relevant literature. Findings This study rejects the recognition of LUR, and suggests that the requirements to account for LUR should be withdrawn immediately. Regardless of the way that the debate has evolved as to the need or otherwise to value LUR or the methodology to be adopted, until the issue of a consistent, standards-based data set is addressed, there is unlikely to be a unified useful outcome. Research limitations/implications The study’s findings provided opportunity to reach an overall conclusion and make policy recommendations regarding the saga of accounting for LUR by Australian local governments. However, the ability to generalise beyond Australia to other countries would need to be tested by additional research. Practical implications The study’s findings provided assessment of the impact of valuing LUR on financial reporting by local governments and suggested policy recommendations. Social implications This study provided an understanding of Australian local governments’ accounting choices in regard to the valuation of LUR and documented the history of early adoption of valuation of LUR by local governments. Originality/value The literature on the public sector and accrual accounting is extensive and varied. However, there have been only isolated studies on the specific issue of LUR (Barton, 1999a, 1999b; Hoque, 2004; Rowles et al., 1998a, 1998b, 1998c, 1999). This study adds to the few isolated studies on the specific issue of accounting for LUR. Originality/value – This study provided policymakers with rich information about accounting for LUR and, it should have the capacity to impact on the future policy directions and recommendations.

scholarly journals Worker representation and temporary employment in Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-46
Author(s):  
John T. Addison ◽  
Paulino Teixeira ◽  
Philipp Grunau ◽  
Lutz Bellmann
Keyword(s):  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Temporary Employment ◽  
Temporary Work ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Works Councils ◽  
Shrinking Core ◽  
Labor Institutions ◽  
Works Council ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of key labor institutions on the occurrence and extent of temporary employment. Design/methodology/approach In a new departure, this study uses a zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model given that most establishments are non-users of either fixed-term contracts (FTCs) or temporary agency workers. Findings This study examines the potential impact of works councils and unions on the use and intensity of use of FTCs and temporary agency work. There is a little indication that these variables are correlated with the use/non-use of either type of temporary work, especially in the case of FTCs. Collective bargaining displays different relationships with their intensity of use: a negative association for sectoral bargaining and FTCs and the converse for firm-level bargaining and agency temps. Of more interest, however, is the covariation between the number of temporary employees and the interaction between works councils and product market volatility. The intensity of use of agency temps (FTCs) is predicted to rise (fall) as volatility increases whenever a works council is present. These disparities require further investigation but most likely reflect differences in function, with agency work being more directed toward the protection of an arguably shrinking core and fixed-term contacts encountering resistance to their increased use as a buffer stock. The two types of temporary employment are seemingly non-complementary, an interpretation that receives support from the study’s further analysis of FTC flow data. Research limitations/implications The non-complementarity of the two types of contract is the hallmark of this paper. Originality/value The first study to deploy a ZINB model to examine both the occurrence and incidence of temporary work.

Ownership structure, board characteristics and dividend policy: evidence from Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajab Khan
Keyword(s):  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Dividend Policy ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Board Characteristics ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of ownership structure and board characteristics on dividend policy in the listed Turkish firms between 2013 and 2019. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the probability of paying dividends, dividend payout ratio and dividend yield measures. The suitable regression procedures (logit, probit and Tobit models) are used to examine the research hypotheses by focusing on a panel data set drawn from the Borsa Istanbul (BIST) 100 index, excluding financial and utility firms. Findings The empirical findings indicate that institutional and concentrated ownerships are significant and positively associated with dividend payouts, whereas family ownership does not influence dividend policy. On the other end, board size is positive, while chief executive officer duality is negatively related to dividend policy. Additionally, the female directors and board independence are insignificant in influencing firms to pay high dividends. Research limitations/implications Future researchers can validate this paper’s findings by considering the stock dividends as well. Additionally, future researchers may investigate the relationship between these constructs by extending the sample size of firms listed on BIST or in other emerging markets. Practical implications This study’s findings may serve policymakers, regulators, investors and academic researchers to get valuable guidance from relevant literature. The Turkish firms may improve dividend policy by implementing the regulatory framework introduced by the Capital Markets Law in 2012 for effective monitoring and protecting the minority shareholders’ rights. The controlling shareholders may alleviate principal-principal conflicts by ensuring the independence of directors and increasing the number of female directors according to the critical mass of at least 30% of board members. Originality/value This study contributes to agency theory and signaling theory by considering ownership structure and board attributes among Turkish firms related to dividend payments.

scholarly journals Works Councils, Labor Productivity and Plant Heterogeneity: First Evidence from Quantile Regressions

2006 ◽  
Vol 226 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Wagner ◽  
Thorsten Schank ◽  
Claus Schnabel ◽  
John T. Addison
Keyword(s):  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Works Councils ◽  
Section Data ◽  
Works Council ◽  
The Impact

SummaryUsing OLS and quantile regression methods and rich cross-section data sets for western and eastern Germany, this paper demonstrates that the impact of works council presence on labor productivity varies between manufacturing and services, between plants that are or are not covered by collective bargaining, and along the conditional distribution of labor productivity. No productivity effects of works councils are found for the service sector and in manufacturing plants not covered by collective bargaining. Besides demonstrating that it is important to look at evidence based on more than one data set, our empirical findings point to the efficacy of supplementing OLS with quantile regression estimates when investigating the behavior of heterogeneous plants.

How do resources and diversification strategy explain the performance consequences of internationalization?

2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 897-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Chen ◽  
Yiwei Jiang ◽  
Chengqi Wang ◽  
Wen Chung Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Product Diversification ◽  
Firm Resources ◽  
Diversification Strategy ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Performance Consequences ◽  
Performance Effects ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how firm resources and diversification strategy explain the performance consequences of internationalization of emerging market enterprises. Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducts a regression analysis by using a novel panel data set comprising of 685 listed Chinese firms over the period of 2008-2011. Findings – The results show that the relationship between internationalization and performance is inverse U-shaped. Further, marketing resources play a greater role in enhancing the performance effects of internationalization than technological resources do. Related product diversification enhances the performance effects, while unrelated product diversification does the contrary. Research limitations/implications – The study focusses on listed firms in one country, and as a result, the findings cannot be generalized to non-listed firms and firms in other countries. Practical implications – This paper offers guidelines for international managers to improve performance of internationalization by developing a particular type of resources and diversification strategy. Originality/value – This paper extends the literature on the functional form of the internationalization-performance relationship, and further suggests that the analysis of the performance consequences of internationalization should go beyond the nexus between internationalization and performance, and focusses on firm-specific resources and strategies that may facilitate or constrain the performance effects of internationalization.

Increasing revenue and attendance in Canadian Baptist churches

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1071-1089
Author(s):  
Alan Chan ◽  
Bruce G. Fawcett ◽  
Shu-Kam Lee
Keyword(s):  
Church Health ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Baptist Churches ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Simulation Exercises

Purpose – Church giving and attendance are two important indicators of church health and performance. In the literature, they are usually understood to be simultaneously determined. The purpose of this paper is to estimate if there a sustainable church congregation size using Wintrobe’s (1998) dictatorship model. The authors want to examine the impact of youth and adult ministry as well. Design/methodology/approach – Using the data collected from among Canadian Baptist churches in Eastern Canada, this study investigates the factors affecting the level of the two indicators by the panel-instrumental variable technique. Applying Wintrobe’s (1998) political economy model on dictatorship, the equilibrium level of worship attendance and giving is predicted. Findings – Through various simulation exercises, the actual church congregation sizes is approximately 50 percent of the predicted value, implying inefficiency and misallocation of church resources. The paper concludes with insights on effective ways church leaders can allocate scarce resources to promote growth within churches. Originality/value – The authors are the only researchers getting the permission from the Atlantic Canada Baptist Convention to use their mega data set on church giving and congregation sizes as per the authors’ knowledge. The authors are also applying a theoretical model on dictatorship to religious/not for profits organizations.

Effect of female executives on Chinese cultural media enterprise efficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Yung-Ho Chiu ◽  
Tai-Yu Lin ◽  
Hongyi Cen
Keyword(s):  
Boards Of Directors ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Female Executives ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cultural Media ◽  
Better Than

Purpose As more women are now being appointed to senior and top management positions and invited to sit on boards of directors, they are now directly participating in strategic company decision-making. As female directors have been found to provide new ideas, increase company competitiveness, efficiency and performance and bring a greater number of external resources to a company than male directors, this paper aims to put female directors as a variable into the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and statistical models to explore the effect of female directors on operating performances. The DEA first quantified and measured the company efficiencies, after which the statistical model analyzed the correlations between the variables to specifically identify the impact of female decision makers on the operating efficiencies in state-owned and private enterprises. Design/methodology/approach A novel two-stage, meta-hybrid dynamic DEA was developed to explore Chinese cultural media company efficiencies under optimal input and output resource allocations, after which Tobit Regression was applied to determine the effect of female executives on these efficiencies. Findings From 2012 to 2016, the overall efficiencies in Chinese state-owned cultural media enterprises were better than in the private cultural media enterprises. The overall technology gaps (TGs) in the state-owned cultural media enterprises were better than in the private cultural media enterprises. Originality/value Previous research has tended to focus on the causal relationships between female senior executives and business performances; however, there have been few studies on the relationships between female executives and company performance from an efficiency perspective (optimal resource allocation). This paper, therefore, is the first to develop a novel two-stage, meta-hybrid dynamic DEA to examine Chinese cultural media enterprise efficiencies, and the first to apply Tobit Regression to assess the effect of female executives on those efficiencies.

The impact of organizational position level and cultural flow direction on the relationship between cultural intelligence and expatriate cross-border adaptation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yuran Li ◽  
Mark Frost ◽  
Shiyu Rong ◽  
Rong Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Organizational Position ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the critical role played by cultural flow in fostering successful expatriate cross-border transitions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop and test a model on the interplay among cultural intelligence, organizational position level, cultural flow direction and expatriate adaptation, using a data set of 387 expatriate on cross-border transitions along the Belt & Road area.FindingsThe authors find that both organizational position level and cultural flow moderate the relationship between cultural intelligence and expatriate adaptation, whereby the relationship is contingent on the interaction of organizational position status and assignment directions between high power distance and low power distance host environments.Originality/valuePrevious research has shown that higher levels of cultural intelligence are positively related to better expatriate adaptation. However, there is a lack of research on the effect of position difference and cultural flow on such relationship. Our study is among the first to examine how the interaction between cultural flow and organizational position level influences the cultural intelligence (CI) and cultural adjustment relationship in cross-cultural transitions.

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