Varieties of Clientelism in Comparative Democracies: Power, State Formation and Citizenship in the Philippines, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-248
Author(s):  
Cleo Anne A. Calimbahin

Abstract Clientelism in comparative democracies have evolved through time within informal and formal institutions. Using the book by Brkovic, that follows the tradition of challenging the unidimensional view of clientelism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this essay provides the Philippine case as contrast and comparison. The article examines how both countries’ experience can open new avenues for us to understand the durability of clientelism and its relationship with formal and informal institutions. Brokovic’s agency and personhood within clientelistic relationships accounts for the endurance of this practice in democratic societies that experienced transition. Clientelism persists in part due to the reliability of personal relations over the ability of public institutions to deliver. This review article will probe clientelism, as it manifests in the politics of the Philippines and its democratic institutions. Among the multiple types of clientelistic relationship in the Philippines, some emphasize the role of machine politics, corruption, and coercion. Brković’s book provides a new lens of analysis by looking at clientelism through personhood and agency as power. The contribution of the book on the discourse of clientelism can deepen the understanding of Philippine politics because it encourages an analysis that looks at the exercise of democracy through personhood, agency, and informal institutions. It invites us to view clientelism not just through corruption and violence. By combining the analysis that utilizes formal and informal institutions, personhood and structuralist, this essay explains why some countries that have transitioned into democracies remain ambiguous states and explain the persistence of clientelism.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arezou Harraf ◽  
Hasan Ghura ◽  
Allam Hamdan ◽  
Xiaoqing Li

PurposeThe paper aims to analyse the interplay between formal and informal institutions' and their impact on entrepreneurship rates in emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachThis study expands previous research in examining the moderating effect of control of corruption on the relationship between formal institutions and the development of the entrepreneurial activity. The study utilizes longitudinal analyses of a dataset from 41 emerging economies over 11 years (2006–2016).FindingsFindings provided robust support for the study's hypotheses. The results suggested lower levels of corruption positively moderate the effects of a country's number of procedures and education and training on the rates of entrepreneurial activity, while negatively moderating the effects of firm-level technology absorption on the rates of entrepreneurial activity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has considered only one particular aspect of high-growth entrepreneurship, which is newly registered firms with limited liability. Although newly registered firms are recognized as one of the critical drivers of entrepreneurial activity. Future research should seek to examine other aspects of growth-oriented entrepreneurship such as activities involving a high level of innovation, corporate entrepreneurship or technology developments.Practical implicationsThis study advanced the existing theories in the field of entrepreneurship and institutional economics as it merged the two theories as a driving framework in the design of the study in the context of emerging economies.Social implicationsThe study tested a theoretical model by expanding the number of emerging economies in the study and found comparable findings that explain factors that may influence the likelihood of individuals entering entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThis article adds to the current literature as it highlights the importance of the interplay of formal and informal institutions in determining their impact on entrepreneurship rates in emerging economies. This is of particular importance to policy-makers, and the business world as the empirical results of this study show the benefits of control of corruption in boosting entrepreneurial rates in these economies, which strive for economic diversification in their developmental endeavours.


Author(s):  
Raul Caruso

- The aim of this essay is the ‘triangular theory of social interactions as expounded by Kenneth Boulding. Rediscovering the theoretical reflections of Kenneth Boulding about social interactions is even more important nowadays when economists are emphasizing the role of both formal and informal institutions in economic development and growth. In fact, he pioneered the study of elements which are commonly considered in the economic theories of institutions, social capital, reciprocity and relational goods.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin C. Williams ◽  
Josip Franic ◽  
Rositsa Dzhekova

Abstract This paper proposes a way of explaining the undeclared economy that represents participation in undeclared work as a violation of the social contract between the state and its citizens, and as arising when the informal institutions comprising the norms, values and beliefs of citizens (civic morality) do not align with the codified laws and regulations of a society’s formal institutions (state morality). Drawing upon evidence from 1,018 face-to-face interviews conducted in Bulgaria during 2013, the finding is that the greater is the asymmetry between formal and informal institutions (i.e., citizens’ civic morality and state morality), the greater is the likelihood of participation in the undeclared economy, and vice versa. The outcome is that tackling the undeclared economy requires a focus upon reducing this lack of alignment of formal and informal institutions. How this can be achieved in Bulgaria in particular and South-East Europe and beyond more generally, is then discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 143-157
Author(s):  
Magdalena Owczarczuk ◽  
◽  
Anna Wierzbicka ◽  

Goal – the purpose of the article is to present the significance and role of institutional coherence in the development and evolution of corporate governance in Poland. Research methodology – a review of the literature on examining the specificity of knowledge about the role of institutional coherence in the development and evolution of corporate governance in Poland and analysis and assessment of the changes in good practice codes in Poland. Score/results – a systemic approach to the issue of corporate governance reveals that it is a collection of both formal and informal institutions. Through mutual interac tion, corporate governance rules lead to the emergence of a relatively stable and predictable environment in which enterprises and their stakeholders can operate. Originality/value – analysis of good practice codes in Poland reveals that the process of their adjustment to the current social and cultural norms, as well as to the expectations of the market, can be positively evaluated, as evidenced by the fact that their new editions continue to be published. The provisions which appear in good practice codes year by year adequately reflect the needs and expectations of the market.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2882
Author(s):  
Ting Jiang ◽  
Shaobing Zhuo ◽  
Chaozhi Zhang ◽  
Jun Gao

This paper examines the impact of institutions on evolution of tourism accommodation format in Wulingyuan, a well-known tourist destination in China, from the perspective of institutional cluster embeddedness. Data were primarily collected through interviews and participant observations. The findings show a five-stage evolution process starting from introduction (1982–1988), through growth (1989–2000), adjustment (2001–2004), and upgrade (2005–2010) to the current stage of individualization (2011–present). During the process, the informal institutions work to suppress, conflict with the formal institutions, yet transform into formal institutions in the end. In such a process, institutional loopholes and frictions are the norm, and tourism accommodation format evolves from extensive development to sustainable development. It suggests that the sustainable development of the tourism accommodation industry needs the synergy of formal and informal institutions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Zhang ◽  
Chang Gao ◽  
Yoshiteru Nakamori

Purpose This study aims to explore the knowledge spillover mechanism in big science projects (BSP) from an institutional perspective by elaborating on the dynamic relationship between institutional dualism and legitimacy. Design/methodology/approach The study conducts an exploratory research and adopts the grounded theory methodology in the context of BSP. Data draw mainly upon nine semi-structured interviews. Findings The knowledge spillovers in BSP are driven by institutions, which work through mechanisms of legitimacy perception. Formal and informal institutions influence organizational and individual behavior through legitimacy pressure and support. Formal institutions impose legitimacy pressure on organizations and individuals, forcing them to cooperate closely to solve problems; informal institutions enable them to adopt innovative strategies and positive attitudes through legitimacy support; all these promote knowledge spillovers in research and development (R&D) activities, engineering practice and regional interaction. Knowledge spillovers enable stakeholders to realize their R&D advancement, manufacturing promotion and management sophistication. Further, regional knowledge diffusion and culture transmission promote regional innovation and social capital accumulation. Research limitations/implications The study develops a theoretical model that shows how knowledge spillover mechanisms happen in BSP from an institutional perspective (the trigger, the channels/process and the impacts). More specifically, this explanation is provided by explaining how formal and informal institutions influence organizational and individual behavior through legitimacy perceptions. Practical implications First, policymakers should recognize and value the guiding, supporting and coordinating role of formal institutions and enrich capital forms to release the legitimacy pressure of stakeholders. Second, management of BSP needs to be capable of coordinating stakeholder relationships and interactions, while management should focus their attention on fostering good organizational routines and shared group value. Third, the local culture and customs should be taken into consideration since it can be an enabling or constraining of BSP. Finally, industries can take advantage of the opportunity to coordinate their R&D efforts to gain competitiveness. Originality/value First, the authors introduce the institutional perspective to analyze the construction process of BSP, which helps to better understand the interactions of stakeholders under the influence of institutions, the dynamic process and impacts of knowledge spillovers. Second, the authors are committed to contributing to the development of knowledge spillover theories by adopting an institutional perspective. The authors furthermore explore and propose the presence of a dynamic mechanism between institutional dualism and knowledge spillovers. In consequence, the authors introduce the concept of legitimacy perceptions, which is a bridge to understanding the interaction between them. Third, by explicitly discussing the actual meaning of our framework, the authors explore the unique potential of institutional arrangement in promoting the knowledge management of complex cross-border cooperation, while seeking to promote its management and administrative practices.


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