New evidence on the link between ethnic fractionalization and economic freedom

Economics of Governance - Among the determinants of economic freedom, the presence of different ethnic groups within a country has sometimes been explored by the empirical literature, without...     

Determinants of Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Social Networking Sites About Negative News on CSR

Journal of Business Ethics - Social network sites are a new communication channel to convey CSR information. They are interactive channels that let users participate, spread content and generate...     

Competition and risk‐taking in investment banking

How does competition affect the investment banking business and the risks individual institutions are exposed to? Using a large sample of investment banks operating in seven developed economies over 1997–2014, we apply a panel VAR model to examine the relationships between competition and risk without assuming any a priori restrictions. Our main finding is that investment banks’ higher risk exposure, measured as a long‐term capital‐at‐risk and return volatility, was facilitated by greater competitive pressures for both boutique investment banks and full‐service investment banks. Overall, we find some evidence that more competition leads to more fragility before and during the recent financial crisis.     

Corruption and private participation infrastructure projects: The influence of vicarious experience and national animosity

This paper investigates the influence of vicarious experience and national animosity on the relationship between corruption and the performance of private participation infrastructure projects. Our analysis of 27,264 projects in 114 countries from 1997 to 2013 shows that higher levels of corruption are associated with higher risk of project failure. We also find that this effect is weakened by the presence of other firms from the same industry, as firms may learn from other companies how to deal with corruption. In contrast, we find the effect is strengthened by the presence of other firms from different industries. This result is due to a lower applicability of knowledge and to an increase in national animosity and discrimination from local stakeholders.     

Impact of all-inclusive packages on hotel efficiency

In the last decade, all-inclusive packages have had an extraordinary boom in one of the most popular sun and beach tourism destinations in Europe, the Canary Islands. This fact reinvigorated the debate on potential benefits and negative effects on the local economy. However, there is no empirical evidence of the impact that all-inclusive packages may have on the efficiency in the hotel industry. This study assessed the effects of all-inclusive packages on cost and profit efficiency using the stochastic frontier approach and the model proposed by Battese and Coelli [(1995). A model for technical inefficiency effects in a stochastic frontier production function for panel data. Empirical Economics, 20(2), 325–332] in a sample composed of 102 hotels of the Canary Islands from 2008 to 2014. The empirical results revealed that the hotels that offered all-inclusive packages exhibited lower efficiency levels than those hotels that did not provide this service. These results have important implications for both public policies and hotel management.     

ICT skills measurement in social surveys: Can we trust self-reports?

Quality & Quantity - Self-reports are the most common way of measuring information and communications technology (ICT) skills in social surveys. Studies comparing self-reported computer skills...     

The role of social networks in shaping entrepreneurial exit strategies

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - Extant literature looks at entrepreneurial exit strategies (e.g., stewardship—family succession; financial harvest—sale of the...     

Economics at the FTC: Multi-level Marketing and a Coal Joint Venture

Review of Industrial Organization - Economists in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics support the Commission’s dual missions of protecting consumers and maintaining...     

The Process of Education of OSH Services and Organization Development

Contemporary business is characterised, first and foremost, by quickly growing competition, rapid changes in customer preferences, and constant pressure for innovations and cost effectiveness. That creates a difficult work environment, with occupational safety and health (OSH) management becoming a strategic element in the planning of enterprises?? development (compare: Znajmiecka-Sikora et al. 2009, 2010). The article aims to analyse the knowledge, qualifications, and professional competence of OSH service employees??a group that is crucial for maintaining an appropriate safety level in the organisation??in the context of employers?? expectations. The study covered 450 OSH service employees working in selected provinces of Poland and was carried out from 2009 to 2010. It used an interview questionnaire composed of 64 items concerning the knowledge, skills, activity in the training market, and flexibility of OSH service employees. The analysis of received results indicates that although OSH service employees hold appropriate qualifications (confirmed by certificates of having undergone appropriate training), they often have insufficient knowledge and skills in the scope of duties imposed on them, hence they are not able to meet the expectations of their employers.