Effects of Entrepreneurial and Environmental Sustainability Orientations on Firm Performance: A Study of Small Businesses in the Philippines

Why do small businesses in developing countries embrace sustainable business practices and what are the effects on their performance? We address these questions by drawing on the natural‐resource based view of the firm to argue that the environmental sustainability orientation of small businesses can be explained by their entrepreneurial orientation. Our study of 197 small businesses in the Philippines shows that an entrepreneurial strategic orientation enables them to develop a more proactive stance toward environmental sustainability practices which lead to superior firm performance. The implications of the findings for future research and for public policy for small businesses are also discussed.     

Sustaining the International Competitive Advantage of Asian Firms: A Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions

The sudden loss of export markets by many Asian firms during the Asian financial crisis (AFC) has raised important questions on how firms in the region can regain and sustain their competitive advantage in international markets. This paper develops a conceptual model which focuses on certain key elements of a firm's internal resources as critical sources of competitive advantage and offers research propositions. It is argued that Asian firms can enhance their international competitive advantage by leveraging their internal resources within an external environment generally conducive to growth.     

Spatial analysis of the U.S. lodging industry, 1963–1977

Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce Census of Business in 1963, 1972, and 1977 were compared on a state by state basis and by standard metropolitan statistical areas in order to analyze the spatial growth points of the U.S. lodging industry. The results point to major lodging growth areas in the Sunbelt states with central Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada and Hawaii as outstanding nodes of development. Metropolitan lodging growth has taken place in the Sunbelt cities with populations of 100,000 to one million, with above average growth in those cities located in the coastal zone.     

Publishing in the primary leisure journals: Insight into the structure and boundaries of our research

Abstract

This study is a systematic empirical analysis of the structure and boundaries of leisure research as reflected by 2,628 citations used in six volumes of Journal of Leisure Research and Leisure Sciences. Four indicators were used to describe the structure of leisure research: the contributions from other fields, the type of citations used, the number of leisure sub‐topical areas, and the age of the citations. Leisure research has extensive ties with at least six fields and intensive attachments to three fields. As a result, citations are diversified by field and by many leisure research specialty areas. Journals and books constitute the majority of citation types, and the accumulation of recreation/leisure literature has shown substantial growth since the late 1950s. The proportion of sources originating in the recreation and parks field is growing but is still at relatively low levels in comparison with other fields of inquiry.     

Looking beyond HRM practices in enhancing employee retention in BPOs: focus on employee–organisation value fit

This paper argues that the effectiveness of HRM practices in tackling employee retention can be enhanced by improving the compatibility between employee and organisational values. We test our hypothesis using structural equation modelling on a sample of 258 employees in business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the Philippines. The results show that the fit between employee and organisation values positively and partially mediates the effects of HRM practices on employee retention. However, employee–organisation value clash in US-owned BPOs was found to have a negative effect on employee retention. Because employees are less likely to leave when they share similar values as their organisations, HRM practices can be used strategically to improve the employee–organisation value fit to improve retention. The implications of the findings for HR managers of BPOs in developing countries are fully discussed.     

美国石油天然气市场政策的演变——《美国能源规制简史》节选

引言 美国联邦政府大规模地干预能源市场始于20世纪30年代,并持续到70年代.一系列重要的法律和管理措施曾被用来试图控制能源价格、规范电力和天然气公用事业,并限制进口.不幸的是,事实证明,这期间美国联邦政府对能源市场的大部分重大干预都是错误的.     

The consequences of forty years of tourism growth

Leisure travel has become a major lifestyle in the United States since World War II. This paper describes the social, economic, and technological changes that have been adopted by the industry and society during three eras of travel evolution. A synoptic view of the development of travel is provided by a review of five travel industry components: transportation, attractions, facilities and services, information, and the consumer. Emphasis is placed on the consequences of the adoption of major social and technological innovations that have impacted this vibrant industry and will continue to do so in the future. The paper concludes with eight observations on the present and future status of leisure travel in the United States.     

Technology strategy and performance: a study of information technology service providers from selected Asian countries

The provision of information technology (IT) services to support a wide range of information and communication technology (ICT) products has experienced rapid growth in recent years, particularly in less developed countries in Asia. This paper develops a conceptual model to test the impacts of the technology strategy of IT service providers on two measures of performance based on the experience of a sample of 98 IT firms from Korea, China, Thailand and the Philippines. It is found that technology strategy related to the adoption and diffusion of technology contributes positively to both performance measures. While the technology capabilities of firms, both internal and external, are important for financial performance, internal technological capabilities are more effective for the firm’s response to market changes. The technology competence of employees reflected by their education levels and the availability of in-house training are also found to be crucial for financial performance. The overall results suggest that technology strategy contributes significantly towards the performance of IT service providers but the impacts of different strategies on the financial and strategic performance of firms vary markedly.

Effects of Informal Institutions on the Performance of Microenterprises in the Philippines: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation

The study investigates the effects of informal institutions and entrepreneurial orientation on the performance of microenterprises at the subnational level within a developing country context. Using structural equation modeling based on a large-scale survey of 735 microenterprises in the Philippines, it is found that informal institutional factors and entrepreneurial orientation are associated with firm performance. However, further analysis reveals a strong mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation on the informal institutions-firm performance relationships. This finding is novel and adds to our understanding of the mechanism through which informal institutions affect firm performance, particularly for microenterprises in developing countries.