Between social capital and formal governance in farmer cooperatives: Evidence from China

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Liang ◽  
Haiyang Lu ◽  
Wendong Deng

Although social capital has been regarded as valuable for organizations, some scholars have noticed that the effect of social capital on economic performance is nonlinear and depends on formal governance. This article examines the role of social capital and the interaction of social capital and formal governance in influencing the economic performance of farmer cooperatives. An empirical exploratory study is conducted based on a data set of 147 farmer cooperatives in China, and an ordinary least squares regression model is used to estimate the results. The results show that the stock of social capital can enhance the economic performance of farmer cooperatives and that social capital has a larger impact when there is stronger formal governance with regard to income distribution. Social capital and formal governance are therefore complementary. An improvement in some aspects of formal governance is favorable to the outcome of social capital. Cooperative practitioners need to consider the creation of both social capital and formal governance.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Myhre ◽  
Daniel R. Jeske ◽  
Michael Rennie ◽  
Yingtao Bi

A heteroscedastic linear regression model is developed from plausible assumptions that describe the time evolution of performance metrics for equipment. The inherited motivation for the related weighted least squares analysis of the model is an essential and attractive selling point to engineers with interest in equipment surveillance methodologies. A simple test for the significance of the heteroscedasticity suggested by a data set is derived and a simulation study is used to evaluate the power of the test and compare it with several other applicable tests that were designed under different contexts. Tolerance intervals within the context of the model are derived, thus generalizing well-known tolerance intervals for ordinary least squares regression. Use of the model and its associated analyses is illustrated with an aerospace application where hundreds of electronic components are continuously monitored by an automated system that flags components that are suspected of unusual degradation patterns.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahadır Yuzbasi ◽  
Yasin Asar ◽  
Samil Sik ◽  
Ahmet Demiralp

An important issue is that the respiratory mortality may be a result of air pollution which can be measured by the following variables: temperature, relative humidity, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocarbons, ozone, and particulates. The usual way is to fit a model using the ordinary least squares regression, which has some assumptions, also known as Gauss-Markov assumptions, on the error term showing white noise process of the regression model. However, in many applications, especially for this example, these assumptions are not satisfied. Therefore, in this study, a quantile regression approach is used to model the respiratory mortality using the mentioned explanatory variables. Moreover, improved estimation techniques such as preliminary testing and shrinkage strategies are also obtained when the errors are autoregressive. A Monte Carlo simulation experiment, including the quantile penalty estimators such as lasso, ridge, and elastic net, is designed to evaluate the performances of the proposed techniques. Finally, the theoretical risks of the listed estimators are given.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xusen Cheng ◽  
Ying Bao ◽  
Alex Zarifis ◽  
Wankun Gong ◽  
Jian Mou

PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have brought unprecedented business potential. This study aims to explore consumers' trust and response to a text-based chatbot in e-commerce, involving the moderating effects of task complexity and chatbot identity disclosure.Design/methodology/approachA survey method with 299 useable responses was conducted in this research. This study adopted the ordinary least squares regression to test the hypotheses.FindingsFirst, the consumers' perception of both the empathy and friendliness of the chatbot positively impacts their trust in it. Second, task complexity negatively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers' trust. Third, disclosure of the text-based chatbot negatively moderates the relationship between empathy and consumers' trust, while it positively moderates the relationship between friendliness and consumers' trust. Fourth, consumers' trust in the chatbot increases their reliance on the chatbot and decreases their resistance to the chatbot in future interactions.Research limitations/implicationsAdopting the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) framework, this study provides important insights on consumers' perception and response to the text-based chatbot. The findings of this research also make suggestions that can increase consumers' positive responses to text-based chatbots.Originality/valueExtant studies have investigated the effects of automated bots' attributes on consumers' perceptions. However, the boundary conditions of these effects are largely ignored. This research is one of the first attempts to provide a deep understanding of consumers' responses to a chatbot.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah R. Crane

PurposeEntrepreneurial firms contribute to economic growth, but the potential gendered nature of this contribution must be investigated as outcomes of male-owned and female-owned firms differ. The study investigates the female underperformance hypothesis in a cross-country analysis of Schumpeterian entrepreneurs. Next, it investigates if there is a gendered dimension of Schumpeterian firm contribution to economic growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes both nonparametric and parametric methodologies. Through nonparametric methods, the success of female-owned and male-owned firms is compared. Next, a parametric ordinary least squares regression model tests if there is a gendered nature of an entrepreneurial firm's economic contribution.FindingsIn nonparametric analyses, female-owned entrepreneurial firms in developed countries perform similarly to male-owned firms, while in developing countries male-owned firms significantly outperform female-owned firms. The author also finds strong evidence that the gender of the Schumpeterian entrepreneur does not matter in the contribution in economic growth.Research limitations/implicationsIn all countries, the number of female-owned entrepreneurial firms was significantly lower than that of male-owned firms. The findings point to consistent cultural barriers for women in innovation-related fields and persistent gendered norms in entrepreneurship. Thus, removal of cultural barriers and continued support for Schumpeterian entrepreneurship will benefit women and contribute to a country's economic growth.Originality/valueThe data for this study is a unique utilization of the Enterprise World Survey to identify Schumpeterian entrepreneurial firms. Additionally, the study challenges the female underperformance hypothesis and contributes to the literature on the role of entrepreneurship in economic growth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao Liu ◽  
Hongzhong Zhang ◽  
Hui Huang

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease that spreads around the world. The lack of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines, along with the relatively high mortality rate and high contagiousness, has raised strong public concerns over COVID-19, especially for people living in the most severely affected areas. This study aimed to clarify the influencing factors for the anxiety level among the Chinese people during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on the media exposure to different COVID-19 information. Methods A total of 4991 respondents were randomly recruited from a national online panel from February 12th, 2020 to February 14th, 2020, a period when the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 10,000 in a single day, with the total cases in China reaching up to 90,000. The relationships between media exposure of COVID-19 information, social and geographical proximity to COVID-19, risk perceptions were assessed using hierarchical ordinary least squares regression analysis. Results The media exposure to COVID-19 information was differently associated with anxiety. Meanwhile, the anxiety level was found to be high in respondents who personally knew someone infected with COVID-19 or those who living in an area with reported cases. Respondents who perceived more risks also reported a higher level of anxiety. Conclusions This study highlights the role of media exposure in affecting individuals’ anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, it is recommended that government and health professionals are recommended to adopt effective risk communication strategies to protect citizens’ mental health during the pandemic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-50
Author(s):  
Kozo Harimaya ◽  
Koichi Kagitani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficiency of the banking business of Japan’s agricultural cooperatives (JAs), which depend heavily on financial business with non-farmers, contradictory to cooperative principles. Design/methodology/approach The authors construct a panel data set over 2005–2016 from the financial statements of JAs’ prefectural-level federations and use the input distance stochastic frontier model with a time-variant inefficiency effect for analysis. Both the flow and stock measures of the banking output are used in identical models and the efficiency results are compared. The authors also investigate the determinants of efficiency by using the Tobit and ordinary least squares regression models. Findings There is strong evidence of significant prefectural differences in efficiency values. The ratio of lending to non-members to total loans is positively related to efficiency. In contrast, the higher reliance on a central organization and credit business leads to lower efficiency. Research limitations/implications Apart from banking, JAs provide mutual insurance business services. As the authors investigate only the efficiency of JAs’ banking business in this study, it would be necessary to investigate the efficiency of their insurance business as well when evaluating JAs’ overall financial business. Originality/value There are few studies that investigate the efficiency of JAs’ banking business and its determinants, although significant attention has been paid to their excessive dependence on the financial business.


2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter S Li

The literature has identified foreign credential devaluations and the shifting origins of immigrants to non-European sources as two factors that explain why some immigrants earn more than others. This study uses data from the Ethnic Diversity Survey to see how foreign credentials affect immigrants’ earnings, and whether immigrants with disadvantaged foreign credentials may be able to use ethnic social capital to mitigate the negative effect. Substantial gross earnings disparities exist among immigrant men and women of different origins, but much difference is due to human capital variations and duration of work. The study produces three major findings. First, foreign credentials benefit majority member immigrants but penalize visible minority immigrants. Second, immigrant men and women who maintain weak ethnic ties earn more than their counterparts with strong ties, suggesting that the enabling capacity of social capital for immigrants has been overstated. Third, there is no evidence of ethnic social capital being able to mitigate the negative effect of a credential deficit.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tawida Elgattani ◽  
Khaled Hussainey

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of the accounting and auditing organisation for Islamic financial institution (AAOIFI) governance disclosure on the performance of Islamic banks (IBs). Design/methodology/approach The ordinary least squares regression model was used to test the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on the performance of 126 IBs from 8 countries that mandatorily adopt the AAOIFI standards for three years (2013–2015). In this regression model, return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) are the dependent variables, while AAOIFI governance disclosure is the independent variable. Corporate governance mechanisms, firm characteristics, year dummy and country dummy are used as control variables. Findings This paper found an insignificant relationship between AAOIFI governance disclosure and IBs performance. Research limitations/implications This study highlighted the implication that the current research may help IBs and encourage them to disclose more information in annual reports, especially those related to AAOIFI governance standards because following good corporate governance leads to good financial performance. The major limitation of the paper is that it is only focussed on two measurements of bank performance – ROA and ROE; it would be good to use other firm performance measures, such as profit margin. Originality/value This study provides new empirical evidence on the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on IBs performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1545-1556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Whiteman-Sandland ◽  
Jemma Hawkins ◽  
Debbie Clayton

This is the first study to measure the ‘sense of community’ reportedly offered by the CrossFit gym model. A cross-sectional study adapted Social Capital and General Belongingness scales to compare perceptions of a CrossFit gym and a traditional gym. CrossFit gym members reported significantly higher levels of social capital (both bridging and bonding) and community belongingness compared with traditional gym members. However, regression analysis showed neither social capital, community belongingness, nor gym type was an independent predictor of gym attendance. Exercise and health professionals may benefit from evaluating further the ‘sense of community’ offered by gym-based exercise programmes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1899-1920
Author(s):  
Jiawen Chen ◽  
Linlin Liu

Purpose This study aims to extend the temporal perspective on ambidexterity by investigating how and under what conditions top management team (TMT) temporal leadership improves innovation ambidexterity. Design/methodology/approach Using a questionnaire survey, data were collected from 165 small- and medium-sized enterprises in China. Ordinary least squares regression models were applied to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings show that TMT temporal leadership has a positive effect on innovation ambidexterity and temporal conflict mediates this relationship. Market dynamism and institutional support moderate the indirect effect of TMT temporal leadership on innovation ambidexterity. Practical implications Managers wishing to promote exploration and exploitation simultaneously should pay attention to the temporal aspects of their innovation strategy and improve their temporal leadership activities. Originality/value This study highlights the temporal conflicts in ambidexterity and clarifies the enabling role of TMT temporal leadership. It contributes new insights to the research on organizational ambidexterity and strategic leadership.


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