Analytical Models to Characterize Trade-Offs between Technological Upgrading and Innovation

We propose two analytical models to characterize the relationship between technological upgrading and innovation in the oil & gas industry. The first one is an “optimization model” which focuses on the trade-offs between profit maximization and environmental compliance cost. The other has been developed based on “predator-prey” model which captures the dynamics of biological systems. Our study contributes to the strategic planning process for sustainable development by providing the insight that optimal allocation process is determined by multiple operational factors, including a firm’s competitive ranking among its industrial competitors, industrial consent on the concurrent rate of return on capital investment, the projected demand of oil & gas in future, and a change in environmental compliance cost. Further, we add to the robustness of the optimal allocation process by providing binding conditions of the set of solutions.

Efficiency of banks in Croatia

Croatian banking sector amounts to the majority of its financial sector. Therefore, it is necessary that Croatian banks operate efficiently. In the past two decades, the Croatian banking sector went through a consolidation process that steadily decreased the number of banks and allocated the majority of assets and market share to a few large banks. A simple definition of efficiency is cost minimization and profit maximization. Therefore, a bank is efficient when it strives to minimize its costs while maximizing its profits. This paper aims to estimate efficiency of Croatian banks using the DEA methodology within the period 2014-2019. In addition, the performance indicators (return on assets, return on equity) calculated for the same period aim at comparing performance indicators to efficiency results. The results indicate that larger banks are generally more efficient in operating on the frontier. And, in comparison to performance indicators, they achieve higher levels of returns on assets and equity. Furthermore, some small banks tend to be efficient, while the benefits of being a medium bank are inconclusive since the results reveal that some medium banks have below average efficiency. Overall, average efficiency improved in the observed period, which means that the consolidation process of financial institutions creates large and efficient banks.

ESG factors as tool for forming business reputation

The article focuses on the ESG factors determining the activities of most companies in recent years. The relationship between ESG principles and the business reputation of a modern company has been indicated. Business reputation is found to be formed under the influence of a number of factors, among which a responsible attitude to the environment, social responsibility and the quality of corporate governance have come out in the first place in recent years. The analysis proved that the ESG principles are firmly entrenched abroad, the number of companies with an ESG rating is growing exponentially, and their profitability is increasing. It has been stated that the Russian business has not yet included ESG principles as mandatory parameters of active investment strategies. The emphasis is put on the relationship with stakeholders, since it is the stakeholders who evaluate the company's activities from the standpoint of the degree of satisfaction of their needs. The conducted analysis has proved that an assessment includes not only profit maximization and dividend growth, but also the results of social and environmentally responsible practices of companies. It has been inferred that there is a relationship between the sustainable development of the company, its business reputation, the creation of ethical values and taking into account the interests of stakeholders in the company's strategy. It is emphasized that ESGs become an instrument of active investment strategies and a tool that determines the business reputation of the company. The practice of responsible ESG investment has been illustrated, the role of institutional investors in the dissemination of this practice has been highlighted.

Event-Based Evaluation of Electricity Price Ensemble Forecasts

The present paper considers the problem of choosing among a collection of competing electricity price forecasting models to address a stochastic decision-making problem. We propose an event-based evaluation framework applicable to any optimization problem, where uncertainty is captured through ensembles. The task of forecast evaluation is simplified from assessing a multivariate distribution over prices to assessing a univariate distribution over a binary outcome directly linked to the underlying decision-making problem. The applicability of our framework is demonstrated for two exemplary profit-maximization problems of a risk-neutral energy trader, (i) the optimal operation of a pumped-hydro storage plant and (ii) the optimal trading of subsidized renewable energy in Germany. We compare and contrast the approach with the full probabilistic and profit–loss-based evaluation frameworks. It is concluded that the event-based evaluation framework more reliably identifies economically equivalent forecasting models, and in addition, the results suggest that an event-based evaluation specifically tailored to the rare event is crucial for decision-making problems linked to rare events.

Determinants of trade credit financing: a dynamic analysis comparing agri-food cooperatives and non-cooperatives

PurposeThe particular characteristics of agri-food cooperatives reduce their ability to access external financial resources. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors influencing the agri-food cooperatives' trade credit operations by measuring their accounts receivable and comparing the results with agri-food investor-owned firms (IOFs).Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply a partial adjustment model (PAM) estimated using a dynamic panel model with a two-step general method of moments (GMM) estimator to a sample of 11,930 Spanish agri-food cooperatives and IOFs for the period 2011–2018.FindingsThe study concludes that cooperatives and IOFs have an accounts receivable target, which they attempt to achieve rapidly. Cooperatives tend to behave as IOFs do, but they present lower adjustment coefficients. This difference seems to be explained by the unique characteristics of cooperatives which set different economic and social goals, not just profit maximization as IOFs. The findings show differences between the financial and commercial purposes of the cooperatives and IOFs as a result of their internal management policies. Larger cooperatives with access to external financial sources, positive cash flows and operational necessities will grant trade credit.Originality/valueThis study gives interesting implications for cooperative managers and policymakers to help them to understand the strategies behind trade credit policies. Previous empirical studies on the agri-food sector are scarce and focus on IOFs without considering the role of trade credit in European cooperatives.

Nonsubmodular Constrained Profit Maximization in Attribute Networks

The number of social individuals who interact with their friends through social networks is increasing, leading to an undeniable fact that word-of-mouth marketing has become one of the useful ways to promote sale of products. The Constrained Profit Maximization in Attribute network (CPMA) problem, as an extension of the classical influence maximization problem, is the main focus of this paper. We propose the profit maximization in attribute network problem under a cardinality constraint which is closer to the actual situation. The profit spread metric of CPMA calculates the total benefit and cost generated by all the active nodes. Different from the classical Influence Maximization problem, the influence strength should be recalculated according to the emotional tendency and classification label of nodes in attribute networks. The profit spread metric is no longer monotone and submodular in general. Given that the profit spread metric can be expressed as the difference between two submodular functions and admits a DS decomposition, a three-phase algorithm named as Marginal increment and Community-based Prune and Search(MCPS) Algorithm frame is proposed which is based on Louvain algorithm and logistic function. Due to the method of marginal increment, MPCS algorithm can compute profit spread more directly and accurately. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of MCPS algorithm.

EXPRESS: Learning to Set Prices

The authors empirically examine how firms learn to set prices in a new market. The 2012 privatization of off-premise liquor sales in Washington State created a unique opportunity to observe retailers learn to set prices from the point at which their learning process began. Tracking this market as it evolved through time, the authors find that firms indeed learn to set more profitable prices, that these prices increasingly reflect demand fundamentals, and they ultimately converge to levels consistent with (static) profit maximization. The paper further demonstrates that initial pricing mistakes are largest for products whose demand conditions differ the most from those of previously privatized markets, that retailers with previous experience in the category are initially better-informed, and that learning is faster for products with more precise sales information. These findings indicate that firm behavior converges to rational models of firm conduct, but also reveal that such convergence takes time to unfold and play out differently for different firms. These patterns suggest important roles for both firm learning and heterogeneous firm capabilities.