The impact of crime on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 993-1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Motta
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Criminal Activity ◽  
The Impact

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in the forefront of economic policy in developing economies, playing critical role in local economic growth and development. SMEs tend to serve local rather than global markets. However, several obstacles prevent greater participation of SMEs in the economy. Among them, crime is a major issue that negatively affects local development in developing countries, as robbery, theft, vandalism and arson increase the cost of doing business. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between crime and firm performance for Latin American SMEs in both service and hospitality sectors, using labor productivity as a measure of firm performance. Labor productivity is a key concern in Latin America as institution-related issues of corruption, infrastructure, regulations, trade policies, access to finance, and human capital may reduce the efficiency of firms in developing economies. The overall findings suggest that there is a negative relationship between criminal activity and firm performance for SMEs in Latin America.

scholarly journals Unveiling the Nexus between Access to Electricity, Firm Size and SME’s Performance in Bangladesh: New Evidence Using PSM

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6493
Author(s):  
Mohammad Abir Shahid Chowdhury ◽  
Shuai Chuanmin ◽  
Marcela Sokolová ◽  
ABM Munibur Rahman ◽  
Ahsan Akbar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Electricity Access ◽  
The Impact

Uninterrupted availability of energy and power resources is essential for the productivity and smooth functioning of an enterprise. However, constrained by financial resources, smaller firms in developing economies face a plethora of challenges concerning the access to electricity. However, less attention has been paid in the extant literature to explore this phenomenon. The present study investigates the impact of access to electricity on labor productivity in Bangladesh in the presence of electricity constraints, electricity obstacles, and SME firm size. It employs the OLS regression and propensity score matching (PSM) technique for treatment effect to deal with the selection bias and endogeneity issue using the World Bank Enterprise Survey’s cross-sectional firm-level data for 3196 sample firms over the period of 2007–2013. The results provide evidence in support of SMEs’ labor productivity in response to electricity access. Lack of electricity access was partially found to affect SMEs’ labor productivity significantly negatively. Further, the results show a positive impact of firm size on firm performance. However, results from this model appear that constrained SMEs’ access to electricity has a negative relationship with firm performance. The article then suggests several policy implications on changing government regulations regarding the efficient use of renewable energy resources to enhance electricity generation for optimized SME performance and sustainable economic development in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Does market digitalization always benefit firms? The Latin American case

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelica M. Sanchez-Riofrio ◽  
Nathaniel C. Lupton ◽  
John Gabriel Rodríguez-Vásquez
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fixed Effects Panel Regression ◽  
The Impact

PurposePrior research has found that firms' adoption of digital technologies (i.e. digitalization) enhances transaction efficiency and improves firm performance. However, this finding is based on the assumption that firms respond to consumers' adoption of digital technology (market digitalization) in a timely fashion. The study investigates the impact of market digitalization on firm performance in Latin America, where resistance to change is often higher, despite the positive impact on performance when companies respond to the environmental shock of digitalization by restructuring.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from seven Latin American countries from 1997 to 2018 (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Mexico), fixed-effects panel regression robustly supports the results.FindingsMost Latin American firms fail to capitalize on the benefits of market digitalization, and their performance declines as a result. The authors extend research on digitalization by incorporating theoretical insights from the restructuring literature, finding that implementing a substantial restructuring strategy is a viable way to overcome market digitalization.Originality/valueThe authors demonstrate that the digitalization–firm performance relationship is more complex than has been described in studies using samples from developed economies. The authors establish restructuring as an effective adaptation strategy in Latin America, although the institutional environment's characteristics may constrain or discourage firms from adopting it.

Leadership Training in Latin America

1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-17
Author(s):  
Alice B. Lentz
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Leadership Training ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Private Higher Education ◽  
Enterprise Growth ◽  
The University ◽  
Latin American Countries

Alice Lentz offers a brief view of the role of the Americas Fund for Independent Universities (AFIU) in relation to significant initiatives in various Latin American countries. In a region where the function and development of private higher education institutions is especially important, the focus of the AFIU's activities is on private universities' ability to provide trained business leaders with the skills necessary to meet the challenges of enterprise growth in these developing economies. She mentions in particular the strengthening of financing capabilities within the university, and the evolution of three-way partnerships among business corporations, AFIU, and universities in Latin America.

The Sovereign and its Shadow: Constituent Assembly and Indigenous Movement in Ecuador

2003 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 721-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT ANDOLINA
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Latin American Politics ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Constituent Assembly ◽  
Institutional Politics ◽  
Ideological Struggle ◽  
Indigenous Movement ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Constitutive Principles

A crucial development in current Latin American politics is the growing involvement of indigenous movements in democracies grappling with the challenges of regime consolidation. This article examines how Ecuador's indigenous movement consecrated new rights and national constitutive principles in the 1997–8 constitutional assembly. It argues that the indigenous movement defined the legitimacy and purpose of the assembly through an ideological struggle with other political actors, in turn shaping the context and content of constitutional reforms in Ecuador. The article concludes that softening the boundary between ‘cultural politics’ and ‘institutional politics’ is necessary in order to understand the impact of social movements in Latin America.

scholarly journals Monetary integration issues in Latin America: A multivariate assessment

2008 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-308
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Allegret ◽  
Alain Sand-Zantman
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Business Cycles ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Common Shocks ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Latin American Countries

This paper assesses the monetary consequences of the Latin-American integration process. Over the period 1991-2007, we analyze a sample of five Latin-American countries focusing on the feasibility of a monetary union between L.A. economies. To this end, we study the issue of business cycle synchronization with the occurrence of common shocks. First, we assess the international disturbances influence on the domestic business cycles. Second, we analyze the impact of the adoption of different exchange rate regimes on the countries' responses to shocks. .

scholarly journals The Effect of Related Party Transactions on the Performance of Indonesian Listed Companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-39
Author(s):  
Brigitta Angelica ◽  
◽  
Desya Gunawan ◽  
Jessy Christella ◽  
Yane Chandera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Minority Shareholders ◽  
Related Party Transactions ◽  
Direct Light ◽  
Panel Data Regression ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of related party transactions (RPTs) on company performance using a panel data regression on 388 non-financial companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange during the 2015-2018 period. RPT variables used in this study are divided into several categories, namely transactions with related parties in the operational field (operational RPTs), financial field (financial RPTs), other fields (other RPTs), and total RPTs (sum of the three previous types). The study finds a significant negative relationship between financial RPTs and other RPTs on company performance. This finding is consistent with the precedent research that non-operational RPTs (i.e., financial RPTs and other RPTs) are commonly used by controlling shareholders as tunneling channels to expropriate minority shareholders. The results suggest policymakers to monitor more closely RPTs, particularly financial and other RPTs, that are more likely to be used as tunneling activities that are detrimental to firm performance. The results of this study are robust to various proxies of firm performance, providing additional empirical studies on RPTs in emerging countries with concentrated ownership structure, and shedding direct light on which type of RPTs that is mainly used as tunneling channel. Keywords: Efficient transaction hypothesis, firm performance, Indonesia, related party transactions, type II agency problem

scholarly journals CEO Compensation and Firm Performance: The Role of ESG Transparency

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Chetna Rath ◽  
Florentina Kurniasari ◽  
Malabika Deo
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Chief Executive Officers ◽  
Ceo Compensation ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Ceo Pay ◽  
Executive Officers ◽  
The Impact

Chief executive officers (CEOs) of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) firms are known to take lesser pay and engage themselves in corporate social responsibility activities to achieve the dual objective of the enhancement of firm’s performance as well as benefit for stakeholders in the long run. This study examines the role of ESG transparency in strengthening the impact of firm performance on total CEO pay in ESG firms. A panel of 67 firms for the period of 2014–2019 has been analyzed using the two-step system GMM model, with NSE Nifty 100 ESG Index as the data sample and ESG scores from Bloomberg database as a proxy for transparency. Findings reveal that environmental and governance disclosure scores have the potential to intensify the negative relationship between firm performance and CEO compensation, while social disclosure scores do not. In addition, various firm-specific, board-specific, and CEO-specific attributes have also been considered controls affecting remuneration. This paper contributes to the literature by exploring the effect of exhibiting ESG transparency and its nexus with CEO pay as well as firm performance.

The HOLA COVID-19 study: Evaluating the impact of caring for patients with COVID-19 on cancer care delivery in Latin America.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1537-1537
Author(s):  
Carolina Bernabe Ramirez ◽  
Ana I. Velazquez Manana ◽  
Coral Olazagasti ◽  
Cristiane Decat Bergerot ◽  
Enrique Soto Perez De Celis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
The Impact

1537 Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-cov-2) virus causing COVID-19 has brought great challenges to global health services affecting cancer care delivery, outcomes, and increasing the burden in oncology providers (OP). Our study aimed to describe the challenges that OP faced while delivering cancer care in Latin America. Methods: We conducted an international cross-sectional study using an anonymous online survey in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The questionnaire included 43 multiple choice questions. The sample was stratified by OP who have treated patients with COVID-19 versus those who have not treated patients with COVID-19. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Results: A total of 704 OP from 20 Latin American countries completed the survey (77% of 913 who started the survey). Oncologists represented 46% of respondents, followed by 25% surgical-oncologists. Of the respondents, 56% treated patients with COVID-19. A significant proportion of OP reported newly adopting telemedicine during COVID-19 (14% vs 72%, p=0.001). More than half (58%) of OP reported making changes to the treatments they offered to patients with cancer. As shown in the table, caring for patients with COVID-19 significantly influenced practice patterns of OP. Access to specialty services and procedures was significantly reduced: 40% noted significantly decreased or no access to imaging, 20% significantly decreased or no access to biopsies, 65% reported delays in surgical oncology referrals, and 49% in radiation oncology referrals. A vast majority (82%) reported oncologic surgeries were delayed or cancelled, which was heightened among those treating patients with COVID-19 (87% vs 77%, p=0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the way cancer care is delivered in globally. Although changes to healthcare delivery are necessary as a response to this global crisis, our study highlights the significant disruption and possible undertreatment of patients with cancer in Latin America that results from COVID-19.[Table: see text]

Managerial interpersonal competencies and the performance of family- and non-family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in Zimbabwe and South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nhamo Mashavira ◽  
Crispen Chipunza ◽  
Dennis Y. Dzansi
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Managerial Competencies ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Interpersonal Competencies

Orientation: Regardless of the contribution done by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in modern economies, and the critical role managerial interpersonal competencies play in sustaining these enterprises, no known comparative study has been conducted in SMEs in developing economies.Research purpose: This study purposed to establish the impact of managerial interpersonal competencies on SME performance as measured by innovation and return on investment (ROI) in both family-owned SMEs (FOSMEs) and non-family-owned SMEs (NFOSMEs) in Zimbabwe and South Africa.Motivations for the study: Efforts at understanding managerial competencies and firm performance among SMEs have taken a holistic approach, using all known managerial competencies; yet, recently, there is acknowledgement that interpersonal competencies are more effective in business sustainability than other competencies. With this observation, the need to extent this finding in other contexts among FOSMEs and NFOSMEs in developing countries becomes apparent.Research approach/design and method: The study whose design was a descriptive comparative case study adopted a quantitative approach.Main findings: The study found a positive and significant relationship between managerial interpersonal competencies and firm performance as measured by innovation and ROI in FOSMEs in both countries.Practical/managerial implications: NFOSMEs may need to focus their training on interpersonal competencies for managers in order to be sustainable. For FOSMEs, continuous enhancement of managerial interpersonal competencies is important as it promotes innovation and business sustainability.Contribution/value-add: The study helps fill the lacuna between research and practice with respect to managerial interpersonal competencies in FOSMEs and NFOSMEs in the two countries.

scholarly journals Developing obstetric medicine training in Latin America

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Rojas-Suarez ◽  
Niza Suarez ◽  
Oier Ateka-Barrutia
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Obstetric Medicine ◽  
The Impact ◽  
In Pregnancy

Maternal mortality is an important indicator of health in populations around the world. The distribution of maternal mortality ratio globally shows that middle- and low-income countries have ∼99% of the mortality burden. Most countries of Latin America are considered to be middle- or low-income countries, as well as areas of major inequities among the different social classes. Medical problems in pregnancy remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in this region. Previous data indicate the need for a call to action for adequate diagnosis and care of medical diseases in obstetric care. The impact of nonobstetric and medical pathologies on maternal mortality in Latin America is largely unknown. In Latin America, two educational initiatives have been proposed to improve skills in maternity care. The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) was first started to address obstetric emergencies, and subsequently adapted for low-middle-income country settings as the Global ALSO®. In parallel, the Latin American obstetric anesthesia community has progressively focused on improvement of several intrapartum/intraoperative issues, which has secondarily taken them to embrace the obstetric medicine area on interest and join the former initiatives. In the present review, we summarize the available data regarding medical morbidity and mortality in pregnancy in Latin America, as well as the challenges, achievements, issues, initiatives, and future directions encouraging maternal health educators, health care trainers, and physicians in middle- and low-income countries, such as many Latin American ones, to improve and/or change attitudes, if needed, on current clinical practice.

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