Issue #3 (Volume 14 2016)

Recent empirical work suggests that the business operations of multinational companies are rather regional than global. The authors analyze the performance impact of intra-regional (as opposed to inter-regional) expansion among companies from six West European countries. Using multilevel modeling, the authors find that an increase in a firm’s degree of regionalization leads to superior performance. The results reveal that an inter-regional strategy does not seem to be a profitable expansion option. Moreover, while examining the moderating impact of firms’ FSAs on the link between intra-regional expansion and performance, the empirical findings suggest that marketing-related FSAs tend to be more regional-bound in nature and support the positive performance effect of intra-regional expansion

The aim of this paper is to explore what endogenous factors dominate in the regional development of Latvia. To achieve the aim, the following tasks were established: to examine the theoretical background of regional development; to analyze the endogenous factors of regional development in Latvia; to evaluate the significance of the endogenous development factors of regions by using expert evaluation method. The following research methodology was used: literature review, graphical method, expert evaluation method and logically constructive approach – for data evaluation and result analysis; synthesis method – to combine the elements in a unified system; social research methods – to obtain the primary information and to carry out its verification. For expert evaluation data processing the statistical and data analysis methods were used, including the data parametric grouping and correlation calculations, and the average calculations of the factors corresponding to each group.
The analysis of the statistical data and the independent expert evaluation results allow concluding that the most important factors influencing regional development are the government decisions and the existing infrastructure, as well as the influence of migration, the distance from the centre and the availability of investment. These findings on regional development apply particularly to a small country where geographically and historically has formed a single highly-developed economic and political centre – the capital, and where does not exist a secondary centre. The research findings confirm the thesis that the endogenous development factors are the primary in the regional development

Effective development of the legal framework promotes the production of energy from renewable energy sources (RES) that provide an alternative to fossil fuel energy and environmental protection. According to these provisions, the article performs content analysis of the Lithuanian RES legal framework and discloses regulatory grounds and barriers to RES development

Taking Cape Town, South Africa as a case, this paper seeks to investigate the factors that define the success of small businesses owned by African immigrants. The paper reviews literature on immigrant entrepreneurs, immigrant-owned ventures and social capital. A random sample of available immigrant small businesses owners was taken where semi-structured interviews were conducted, as well as the use of self-administered questionnaires. Secondary data (literature review) have unveiled that social networks are vital in the formation and growth stages of an immigrant-owned business, as networks provide the necessary support. Ultimately, social networks supplement the survival chances of an immigrant-owned venture. Furthermore, primary data (empirical results) have revealed that most of the businesses are mainly run by males, while longevity and employment creation are defining factors of success to African immigrant-owned small businesses in Cape Town. Following the empirical findings and their analysis, recommendations have been formulated

Entrepreneurial orientation is a concept that captures the importance of how and why certain individuals decide to take higher risks than the average small business owner so as to increase their return on assets deployed. Entrepreneurial orientation is linked to the concept of control aversion, which is used to explain why certain individuals refrain from using external financing to expand their firms. Control aversion suggests that most small business owners prefer to maintain total control rather than invite in the potentially disruptive influence of an external owner/investor. This study combines these two concepts in an attempt to introduce financing and investors into the discussion of entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Equity investors are shown to have a major influence on entrepreneurial performance, because business owners with an entrepreneurial orientation gain substantially from interaction with investors through the transfer of knowledge. The model was tested with a LInear Structural RELations (LISREL) analysis on a sample of 459 Swedish small and medium-sized enterprises

Education, to make maximum use of its human and physical resources, needs to establish social space-generating capacity to meet its goals. The most important problem, according to experts’ opinions, which has damaged the effectiveness of schools, is the lack of a competitive environment schools. Therefore, it is required to draw up a framework to increase competition among schools. To establish such structure, several factors which facilitate implementation are required. Therefore, using the theoretical framework and experiences of countries, facilitating factors in applying the self-organized teams were extracted. Attitudes of teachers and administrators in relation to these factors should be investigated to measure the preparedness of education to apply these factors. This article with considering KAP research, which is focused on preparedness (knowledge), attitudes and behavior, attempts to concentrate on the establishing teachers’ level of preparedness and achieving self-organized teams. For this purpose, using a questionnaire, attitudes of elementary school principals in Tehran were evaluated. The results show preparedness and a positive attitude of principals and teachers about the desired factors

The objective of the study is to determine whether a relationship existed between the variables of job satisfaction and organizational commitment within the South African police services. Data were collected using questionnaires, administered to a sample of 103 respondents, received 71% response rate from a population of 140 employees and used the simple random sampling technique. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. No statistically significant correlation was found between the dimensions of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The ANOVA test showed a significant difference in normative commitment among the age, home language and ethnic groups. The ANOVA test revealed significant differences among the biographical variables and the job satisfaction dimensions. The findings of this study indicated no relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment

This study was conducted to find out when Entrepreneurship can be introduced in the school curriculum. A case study design premised in the qualitative approach was employed, which used semi-structured focus group interviews as data collection instruments. The areas of study were purposively selected government primary and secondary schools in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province in Zimbabwe. Data were analyzed thematically and discussed according to research objectives. Findings revealed that Entrepreneurship per se is not taught in government primary and secondary schools. Based on these findings, the recommendations were that Entrepreneurship should be introduced in the school curriculum at primary level to allow learners to lay a solid foundation for creativity, nurturing and innovation of business ideas for use later in life

Approximately 20 years after the creation of the Balanced Scorecard (hereinafter BSC), BSC is the sixth most widely used management tool by organizations (Rigby and Biledau, 2011). The aim of this article is to identify the key factors for the implementation of a BSC in organizations. To do so, the authors analyzed two cases BSC implementation: one a success and the other a failure. The findings were classified by the answers to the following questions: What was implemented? Where was it implemented? Who implemented it? How did they implement it? and Why was it implemented? The four key factors for the successful implementation of the BSC identified in this study, which complement the existing literature on this subject, are: previous experience of the people responsible for the project; linking the BSC to available resources; consistency between the organizational structure and the strategy; and finally, carrying out a pilot test.
Purpose: Approximately 20 years after the creation of the Balanced Scorecard (hereinafter BSC), BSC is the sixth most widely used management tool by organizations (Rigby and Biledau, 2011). The aim of this article is to identify the key factors for the implementation of a BSC in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used for this research was the case study, specifically the “two case” study method (Yin, 2003). The cases were selected as being extremes: one organization that had successfully implemented a BSC, and a company whose implementation failed. The findings were classified by the answers to the following questions: What was implemented? Where was it implemented? Who implemented it? How did they implement it? and Why was it implemented?
Findings: The four key factors for the successful implementation of the BSC identified in this study, which complement the existing literature on this subject, are: previous experience of the people responsible for the project; linking the BSC to available resources; consistency between the organizational structure and the strategy; and finally, carrying out a pilot test.
Originality/value: The contribution made by this study consists of identifying additional key factors that may affect the success or failure of implementing BSC in an organization

The development features of the information systems and technologies are investigated. The analysis of their impact on the formation of the information society is carried out. The current level of the Ukraine’s development in different directions of the information industry is considered. The advantages and prospects of development of the domestic IT industry are allocated. The role of information systems in the development of an economy that is based on knowledge and information is determined.
The types of information systems and their functionality are considered. The approach for improving the evaluation process in modeling of the information systems and at the enterprise is developed. It creates the conditions for taking into account all the costs during the process of information technology implementation, also in relation to the dynamic process of value changes to support the functioning of the enterprise information system

This paper reports on the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) business characteristics in rural places of Southern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province. It was intended to identify and discuss the various characteristics and the implications they have on the survival and growth of rural enterprises. The study was conducted in five areas (uMuziwabantu, Ubuhlebezwe, Sisonke, Zingolweni and uMzimkhulu) Southern Region of KZN province. The sample consisted of 127 SMEs owners/managers operating in the selected areas using a quota sampling method, with respondents completing a five-point Likert scale questionnaire with the assistance of an interviewer. The findings indicated that most employees within the business are unskilled; the business operations are run by using modern facilities; most of business investment strategies are hindered by a lack of finance; and the local market is very small in selling rural SMEs’ products. SPSS (23.0) version was used for data analysis. The findings presented in the figures and tables. Statistical analysis revealed that business characteristics of SMEs in rural were tested and found to be significant (P = .000*).
The paper will be useful tool for the policy-makers, business financial support institutions, and business stakeholders, government policy agencies in underlining a new way to consider future growth of SMEs in rural places, to understand challenges properly and to adjust growth strategies for the remote and under-developed areas. Most work has been focusing on SMEs in the urban and metropolitans areas with less emphasis on the rural SMEs with specific reference to KZN. The findings are limited by the quantitative nature, small sample and exploratory study. Therefore, generalization of these results should be done with care and more research with larger samples extended to other provinces is highly recommended

The Department of Statistics and Operations Reasearch (SOR) at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) in South Africa desires to increase its research output, as well as to provide high quality teaching and learning. Most SOR lecturers want to embrace technology and innovations, and also be competitive both regionally and globally. This can be achieved more effectively if they are trained in computer applications. Thus, they should be developed into critical citizens of the digital world. They should also be prepared to use information and communication technology (ICT) as a teaching and learning resource, as well as a research and community engagement backing. An innovation in academia should be backed by the lecturer. Thus, the main concern of this paper is to explore use of ICT as a business tool in SOR. Methodologies of the study were case study and thematic content analysis, and the data collection tool was a questionnaire. The study found that SOR was understaffed and could not provide full statistics (stats) training mainly in the statistical packages. The lecturers were all trained in ICT and the packages. They were all willing to use ICT in SOR activities. The computer laboratories were adequate for the student numbers at the time, even though some computers were not working. These laboratories showed to be poorly adequate for the envisaged growth of SOR. SOR would also need more lecturers for the future growth. The study recommends growth of SOR in lecturers and ICT facilities, at the least

Planned obsolescence has become a strategy adopted by large corporations, for products to be produced with surprisingly short useful life spans. These shorter than expected product life spans ensure that consumers make regular repeat purchases of their favorite items. The monopoly of obsolescence of products is no longer the producers’ prerogative and this by itself leads to unplanned obsolescence basically led by the consumers choice. This research study looks into consumer’s attitudes and perceptions of their favorite lifestyle brands. This is on the basis that less is known on unplanned obsolescence, which arises from the consumers conduct. This work also investigates why consumers replace products, even though these products are most often still seen as fully functional. This social constructivism study has adopted a quantitative approach through the use of self-administered questionnaires. The 300 participants of the study on which this article is based were selected from the Durban of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and were chosen through stratified random sampling. The study was further cross generational, in order to examine how consumers attitudes change as they become older. It was found that despite knowing the truth relating to the phenomenon consumers were willing to remain loyal