Assessing the investment environment in container terminals: A knowledge gap model

This paper aims to evaluate the investment environment in container terminals (CTs) in one seaport from the attitudes of both terminal operators (TOs) and port companies (PCs). Evaluation criteria (ECs) regarding the investment environment in CTs are first created based on the prior literature and the CTs’ operational characteristics. A knowledge gap model based on an improved fuzzy AHP approach is then developed to assess the perceived differences on the ECs between TOs and PCs, by which the PCs managers could formulate practical policies to improve their investment environment in CTs. As an empirical study, the Taiwan International Port Corporation (TIPC) and its terminal operators in Kaohsiung port are examined to verify the research model. Results indicate that ECs with higher knowledge gap for TIPC include: Intra-port coopetition, Number of shipping carriers, and Business tax. Based on the result, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Research on Investment Environment Performance Evaluation of Blockchain Industry with Intuitionistic Fuzzy CODAS Method

With global resource waste and environmental pollution becoming increasingly serious, corporate investment environmental performance (CIEP) of blockchain industry has received much attention from researchers over the past decade. As an important part of economic development, enterprises also pay increasing attention to environmental protection and pollution control. CIEP of blockchain industry is regarded as the result of corporate environmental management. Assessing CIEP of blockchain industry can not only make enterprises focus on the environmental protection and management but also promote sustainable social development. Also, it is always viewed as multiattribute group decision making (MAGDM). Thus, a new MAGDM model is used to tackle it. Based on the CODAS (combinative distance-based assessment) method and intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs), this paper designs the distance-based IF-CODAS method to assess CIEP. Eventually, an application about CIEP evaluation is employed to show the superiority of the defined method. The results illustrate that the defined framework is very useful for assessing CIEP.

Evaluating Post Merger Pakistan Stock Exchanges’ Market Efficiency

The development and the formation of financial markets and institutions is indeed very instrumental for causing the robust economic growth. Although, as a fact the security prices are readily fluctuated by the market information known as market efficiency, making it a riskier investment. Subsequently, the investors accept the undiversifiable risk (Systematic risk) and cancel out the diversifiable risk (Unsystematic risk) through active diversified Portfolio Management, such a portfolio of securities, selected through market information reflects market efficiency. Thus, this study investigates the post- merger market efficiency for the Pakistan stock exchange as the three stock exchanges of the country has recently merged into Pakistan stock exchange. The analysis is based on event methodology, covering the pre-post-merger accumulated daily abnormal returns for a duration of 90 days (three months). Thus, the study proofs with respect to the accumulated daily abnormal returns, that the merger has increased the market efficiency. Consequently, the study supports the extant literature on merger and related market efficiency and provides another empirical evidence with respect to a developing country such as Pakistan. Rationally, the recent increase in the market efficiency will assure the supply of correct market information; consequently, boosting confidence of all investors and the regulators have a great opportunity to pursue continuous improvement in the present regulatory polices to promote healthy investment environment and increase the national revenue as well.

Research on the Evaluation of Investment Environment of Russia’s Key Cities

The resources and industries between the two largest neighbor countries (Russia and China) complement each other, the level of political mutual trust is high and the prospects for trade cooperation are broad. The selection of the best regions and the best industries to strengthen investment in Russia is of great strategic significance to the promotion of the “Belt and Road” and the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. However, the relevant research is very limited, and the current research on the investment environment in Russia is mostly at the provincial level. The unclear investment environment and unknown investment risks have severely restricted trade cooperation with Russia. The research team conducted several years of scientific investigations, government visits and scientific research in Russia, and obtained a large amount of first-hand valuable data. This study scientifically evaluated the investment environment of 16 key Russian cities in terms of economy, society, infrastructure, policies, etc., and classified the investment environment. The results of this research will provide direct scientific and technological support for strategic decisions such as strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation. It is an important reality for ensuring the smooth implementation of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.

Investment environment, stock market perception and stock investments after stock market crash

PurposeThis study examines how the importance of external investment environment factors affect stock market perception, and how stock market perception affects stock investments after stock market crash witnessed by individual investors in one of the emerging stock markets.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey was administrated among 223 individual investors who experienced stock market crash in 2010–2011 in Bangladesh, and the proposed model was tested by the partial least squares-structural equation modeling PLS-SEM model.FindingsFindings show that the importance of Bangladesh's stock market performance, government policy, economic issues and neighboring country's stock market performance has effects on investors' stock market perception. This perception, in turn, decreases monthly stock trading and short-term investment horizon. The findings further show the mediating effect of stock market perception.Practical implicationsInvestors need to carefully consider the external investment environment when they form their stock market perception, as this perception drives stock investments. Analogously, regulators should ensure releasing timely and updated statistics on external investment factors.Originality/valueAddressing those investors who encountered stock market crash, a set of external investment environment issues, stock market perception and stock investments are new in the literature.

Dynamic Evaluation and Optimization of Investment Environment in Node Cities on the Maritime Silk Road

Understanding and evaluating urban investment environment is essential for effectively improving the efficiency of resource allocation between cities and promoting overall development of the regional economy. This paper takes 15 node cities on maritime Silk Road covered by the “Belt and Road” as the research object, establishes a dynamic evaluation index system for investment environment, and uses projection pursuit cluster to analyze and evaluate the investment environment of the cities. It is found that the investment environment potential of a city is directly related to the level of social development, economic development, and the degree of opening to the outside world. It is recommended that node cities should seize the important opportunity of the construction of the Maritime Silk Road, introduce world-wide human, financial and material resources to promote regional resources allocation and flow, and continuously improve and upgrade the investment environment quality.

Dynamic Evaluation and Optimization of Investment Environment in Node Cities on the Maritime Silk Road

Understanding and evaluating urban investment environment is essential for effectively improving the efficiency of resource allocation between cities and promoting overall development of the regional economy. This paper takes 15 node cities on maritime Silk Road covered by the “Belt and Road” as the research object, establishes a dynamic evaluation index system for investment environment, and uses projection pursuit cluster to analyze and evaluate the investment environment of the cities. It is found that the investment environment potential of a city is directly related to the level of social development, economic development, and the degree of opening to the outside world. It is recommended that node cities should seize the important opportunity of the construction of the Maritime Silk Road, introduce world-wide human, financial and material resources to promote regional resources allocation and flow, and continuously improve and upgrade the investment environment quality.