Business Growth and Performance and the FinancialReporting Practices of Australian Manufacturing SMEs

This article describes an explanatory study of the impact of financial reporting practices upon business growth and performance outcomes amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in manufacturing in Australia. The study is able to establish some statistically significant bivariate associations between the extent and frequency of financial reporting undertaken and certain measures of SME growth and performance. However, the state of financial reporting practices becomes subsumed by other important influences in multivariate analysis. Management is a complex activity affected by a myriad of interacting internal and external factors, and must inevitably be undertaken in an holistic manner in SMEs. Particular practices make a contribution to the whole task without necessarily standing out as all-embracing solutions to problems generally encountered. Thus, it is argued that improved financial reporting should be realistically viewed as simply part of a broader competence in financial management which, taken together with other functional capabilities, is likely to lead to more effective and efficient management of SMEs and significantly improve their prospects.     

Regional Competitiveness: Labor-Management Relations,Workplace Practices,and Workforce Quality

This paper examines regional competitiveness as it relates to regional labor-management relations. A survey of recent literature provides perspective and secondary evidence regarding labor-management relations, workplace practices, and workforce quality. It does not answer the question, “Are unions good or bad?” Rather, it investigates the themes of productivity, wage premium, job security, innovation, communication, and economic development—the larger picture to consider when evaluating the impact of unions. The information, issues, and data gained from the literature survey provided a background for several case studies that took the form of structured, group interviews that included both selected management and union representatives. Interview findings provide evidence that union-management cooperation in the workplace is both feasible and productive, supporting findings in the literature.     

Capabilities, Proactive CSR and Financial Performance in SMEs: Empirical Evidence from an Australian Manufacturing Industry Sector

Proactive corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves business strategies and practices adopted voluntarily by firms that go beyond regulatory requirements in order to manage their social responsibilities, and thereby contribute broadly and positively to society. Proactive CSR has been less researched in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) compared to large firms; and, whether SMEs are ideally placed to gain competitive advantage through such activity therefore remains a point of debate. This study examines empirically the association between three specified capabilities (shared vision, stakeholder management and strategic proactivity), proactive CSR and financial performance in SMEs. Using quantitative data collected from a sample of 171 SMEs in the machinery and equipment sector of the Australian manufacturing industry, we find that all specified capabilities are positively associated with adoption of proactive CSR by SMEs, and that proactive CSR is, in turn, associated with an improvement in firm financial performance. Evidence of a fully mediating role for proactive CSR on the association between capabilities and financial performance presented in this study aligns with RBV theory that suggests adoption of value-creating strategies that make the most effective use of a firm’s capabilities is essential to financial success. The study contributes to the CSR literature by demonstrating a case for SMEs being able to maximise financial returns whilst proactively making progress towards CSR.     

管理层更替与收购绩效的关系研究——基于多重因素的调节效应

收购后是否应该对被收购企业的原有管理人员进行更换一直存在争议。本研究探讨了在中国情境下,主并企业在收购后对被并企业管理层更替的程度与主并企业的收购绩效之间的关系。实证分析结果证实了收购后的管理层更替与收购绩效之间存在正相关关系,但这种正相关关系受到多重因素的调节作用影响。具体来说：跨区域收购时管理层更替的程度与收购绩效之间的正相关作用要高于同区域收购的时候;收购双方的业务相关程度越高,则收购后管理层更替对收购绩效的积极作用会越低;被并企业与主并企业相比的相对规模越大,则收购后管理层更替的程度与收购绩效之间的正相关程度会越高;收购前被并企业的绩效表现越好,则收购后对其管理层进行更换的程度越高越有利于主并企业的收购绩效。     

The Relationship Between Corporate Social Performance, and Organizational Size, Financial Performance, and Environmental Performance: An Empirical Examination

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the corporate social performance of an organization and three variables: the size of the organization, the financial performance of the organization, and the environmental performance of the organization. By empirically testing data from 1987 to 1992, the results of the study show that a firm's corporate social performance is indeed impacted by the size of the firm, the level of profitability of the firm, and the amount of pollution emissions released by the firm.     

The Doctrine of the Mean: Workplace Relationships and Turnover Intention

The present study examines the curvilinear relationships between LMX/TMX and team members' turnover intention simultaneously. That is, members with high LMX, TMX, or both are more likely to have turnover intention. Hypotheses were tested with a sample of 452 nurses, and we adopted the response surface methodology and polynomial regression to test our theoretical model. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that TMX has a U‐shaped relationship with turnover intention but not with LMX. In addition, the results indicate that both the congruence and incongruence of LMX and TMX result in higher turnover intention, but moderate levels of LMX and TMX have the lowest turnover intention. Strengths, limitations, practical implications, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2018 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高管过度自信、财务柔性与企业价值

随着国内外经济环境不确定性的增加,高层管理者的心理特质对企业经营的影响越来越大,财务柔性也越来越受到企业的重视.本文选取2012～2016年A股上市公司数据为样本,对高管过度自信、 财务柔性与企业价值的关系进行了实证检验.研究结果表明:高管过度自信与财务柔性显著正相关;过度自信和财务柔性均可以提升企业价值;财务柔性是高管过度自信作用于企业价值的一个中介变量.因此,为了达到高管过度自信提升企业价值的目的,企业必须适度储备财务柔性,以将其控制在合理的水平之上.     

The Impact of Human Resource Practices and Compensation Design on Performance: An Analysis of Family-Owned SMEs

A sample of 168 family-owned fast growth small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was used to empirically examine the consequences of five human resource practices on sales growth performance. The results suggest that training and development, recruitment package, maintaining morale, use of performance appraisals, and competitive compensation were more important for high sales-growth performing firms than for low sales-growth performing firms. In addition, we examined the use of incentive compensation in the form of cash, noncash, and benefits and perks for four different levels of employees in family-owned SMEs. The findings suggest that high sales-growth performing firms used more cash incentive compensation at every level in the organization.     

Combining Information Technology and Decentralized Workplace Organization: SMEs versus Larger Firms

This paper examines whether information technology (IT) and decentralized and incentive-based workplace organization are complementary only for large firms or also for smaller firms. Previous empirical evidence suggesting complementarity between IT and decentralization is mainly based on large firms. Using data from a sample of 3,288 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and 595 larger firms from the manufacturing and service sector in Germany, it appears that SMEs with decentralized and incentive-based work practices tend to use IT more intensively. Moreover, for the sample of SMEs, IT and workplace organization are individually associated with higher productivity, but the combination of IT and decentralization does not yield a productivity premium. In contrast, the productivity of IT depends positively on decentralization for large firms. The findings suggest that combining IT and decentralized workplace organization seems only to be a successful strategy for larger firms.     

Employer Awareness,Attitudes, and Referral Practices Regarding Behavioral Problems in the Workplace

A survey is undertaken of organizations of differing sizes and representing a cross-section of industries to assess employ- ers' awareness, attitudes, and referral practices regarding behavioral (emotional and substance abuse) problems in the workplace. Impli- cations and future challenges, for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are discussed.     

CEO Characteristics and Budgeting Practices in Emerging Market SMEs

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in the gross national product and employment in most emerging markets. However, little is known about their budgeting practices and, in particular, about the role of CEO characteristics for the adoption and extent of budget use. Drawing on a broad sample of manufacturing firms from Turkey, we shed light on the role of CEO characteristics for the adoption and extent of use of formal budgets. Our results suggest that apart from age and education, the CEO's openness to experience is an important factor for understanding budgeting practices in SMEs.     

企业社会责任与财务绩效关系的实证研究

长期以来企业一直被认为是以追求利润的最大化目标和宗旨的一个经济实体企业。而且多数学者都认为企业承担企业社会责任必然会带来利益的流出,会增加企业经营成本,从而给企业绩效带来负面影响。但是从长远来看,企业社会责任的支出可能会增强企业内部员工的凝聚力提高企业公众形象和社会信誉,从而为企业创造更多的利润回报。     

中小企业治理、治理指数与企业绩效

本文设计了中小企业治理评价指标体系,并对100家县域中小企业的治理状况进行了评价,结果显示中小企业治理指数平均值仅为33.57。实证分析表明,中小企业治理指数不能够显著解释每股收益和净资产收益率;同时也发现,第一大股东持股比例、董事会是否设立、总经理薪酬结构等对企业绩效也没有显著的影响,中小企业治理结构与机制的建立仅仅是形式上所为,最后据此给出提升中小企业治理水平的政策建议。     

Sustainability Practices and Corporate Financial Performance: A Study Based on the Top Global Corporations

Sustainability is concerned with the impact of present actions on the ecosystems, societies, and environments of the future. Such concerns should be reflected in the strategic planning of sustainable corporations. Strategic intentions of this nature are operationalized through the adoption of a long-term focus and a more inclusive set of responsibilities focusing on ethical practices, employees, environment, and customers. A central hypothesis, that we test in this paper is that companies which attend to this set of responsibilities under the term superior sustainable practices, have higher financial performance compared to those that do not engage in such practices. The target population of this study consists of the top 100 sustainable global companies in 2008 which have been selected from a universe of 3,000 firms from the developed countries and emerging markets. We find significant higher mean sales growth, return on assets, profit before taxation, and cash flows from operations in some activity sectors of the sample companies compared to the control companies over the period of 2006–2010. Furthermore, our findings show that the higher financial performance of sustainable companies has increased and been sustained over the sample. Notwithstanding sample limitation, causal evidence reported in this paper suggests that, there is bi-directional relationship between corporate social responsibilities practices and corporate financial performance.     

An Empirical Study of Environmental Awareness and Practices in SMEs

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, there has been rising demand for environmental-friendly business practices. Prior research has shown that the implementation of environmental management practices is influenced by existing and potential stakeholder groups in the form of external pressures from legislators, environmental groups, financial institutions and suppliers, as well as internally by employees and owner/manager attitudes and knowledge. However, it has been reported that despite business owner/managers having strong “green” attitudes, the level of implementation of environmental-friendly practices is low. In order to explore the connection between pressures for improved practices and the management actions taken, this article examines how influence from various stakeholders is related to awareness of environmental issues, and how this awareness relates to actions taken within the businesses to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. The results indicate that legislation does result in general environmental awareness, and that organizations are then willing to␣change their business processes and environmental strategies. However, despite their actions they have little awareness of the benefits that might arise from cost reductions from their environmental-friendly practices. Those influenced by their suppliers act to reduce waste, but do not put into place formal environmental management systems, or use environmental messages to market their goods or services. Nevertheless, it can be argued that they have a real commitment to environmental issues, as evidenced by a willingness to voluntarily contribute to environmental organizations.     

金融发展与融资约束——来自中小企业板的证据

本文使用2005—2007年中小企业板数据,在考虑实际控制人性质和政治关系的背景下,研究金融发展是否可以缓解中小企业融资约束。研究发现:无政治关系的民营中小企业面临较强融资约束,金融发展可以显著缓解其融资约束,这种缓解作用来自信贷资金分配的市场化和金融市场引入外资;具有政治关系的民营中小企业不存在显著的融资约束,但金融业引入外资会显著增加其现金的现金流敏感度,可能导致这类中小企业融资状况或企业绩效弱化;国有中小企业现金的现金流敏感度最高,但其现金持有量与绩效负相关,金融发展对其不产生显著影响。     

Beyond Size: Predicting Engagement in Environmental Management Practices of Dutch SMEs

This study focuses on the prediction of the engagement of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in environmental management practices, based on a random sample of 689 SMEs. The study finds that several endogenous factors, including tangibility of sector, firm size, innovative orientation, family influence and perceived financial benefits from energy conservation, predict an SME’s level of engagement in selected environmental management practices. For family influence, this effect is found only in interaction with the number of owners. In addition to empirical research on SMEs’ environmental behavior, this article draws on the ecological modernization literature as well as the theory of planned behavior.     

传染的周转率与基金业绩波动关系研究

基于从发现投资机会的视角来解释基金的频繁交易对基金业绩影响的新理论,本文对基金周转率的传染机制、基金业绩波动的联动效应以及基金周转率对其他基金业绩波动产生的溢出效应进行理论和实证分析.借鉴SIR模型的思路,基于基金经理的社会网络构建Fund SIR模型的分析框架进行理论分析.研究结果表明:(1)基金经理可以提前获取投资信息来指导其实际的投资决策;(2)基于基金经理的社会网络,处于同一社会网络下的基金周转率具有传染性,业绩波动具有联动效应;(3)处于越多维度的关系网络下的基金周转率传染性和基金业绩联动效应越明显;(4)基金周转率不仅会对其业绩波动产生影响,而且还会对处于同一社会网络下的其他基金的业绩波动产生溢出效应;(5)基金业绩波动与基金经理的社会网络规模呈现倒“U”型关系.     

Perceived Behavioral Integrity: Relationships with Employee Attitudes, Well-Being, and Absenteeism

Relationships between the behavioral integrity of managers as perceived by employees and employee attitudes (job satisfaction and life satisfaction), well-being (stress and health), and behaviors (absenteeism) were tested using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (n = 2,820). Using multivariate and univariate analysis, perceived behavioral integrity (PBI) was positively related to job and life satisfaction and negatively related to stress, poor health, and absenteeism. The effect size for the relationship with job satisfaction was medium-to-large while the effect sizes with respect to the other variables were small-to-medium. There was no support for the hypotheses that women would perceive lower levels of behavioral integrity and that the strength of the relationships between PBI and the outcomes variables would be stronger among women than among men.