ADOPTION OF VOLUNTARY GLOBAL GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES: EQUATOR PRINCIPLES AND BANKS IN NIGERIA

Due to the growing level of dissatisfaction with the traditional models of governance established by the state, international governance initiatives have attracted more attention. This exploratory study is aimed at finding out the level of awareness and adoption of one such initiative, the Equator Principles (EPs), by banks in Nigeria. These principles were said to represent a good standard where environmental and social risks inherent in development projects can be identified, assessed and managed. The study was anchored on two theories: The club theory and the theory of institutional isomorphism. The survey data were gathered from 124 managers of the leading 10 deposit money banks in Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics presented in frequency tables and percentages. The findings show a high level of awareness of the EPs among the banks in Nigeria, but a low level of adoption. Although the study is limited by a small sample, it offers evidence that difficulties in measurability of benefits of adopting Equator Principles and lack of enforcements of sanctions for noncompliance seriously limit the number of financial institutions adopting the regime in Nigeria.

Does Club Size Matter: An Examination of Economies of Scale, Economies of Scope, and Organizational Problems

Size is a central characteristic of organizations. While previous studies point to size differences among nonprofit sport clubs, size effects have not yet been investigated systematically. The concepts of economies of scale and economies of scope are used to explain size advantages. Yet, club theory stresses that benefits from sharing production costs only exist until some point and decrease afterward. The purpose of this study is to examine size effects in sport clubs using data from two nationwide online surveys in Germany (n = 19,345) and Switzerland (n = 6,098). The results support the existence of economies of scope, since costs decrease with increasing number of different sports (not codes) offered in the same club. Yet, clubs only benefit from reduced costs until some point supporting club theory. Organizational size has a significant effect on various organizational problems. The findings have implications for the management of sport clubs and for policy makers.