bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Financial performance of SMEs: impact of ownership structure and board composition
Authors: Lappalainen Jaana , Niskanen Mervi 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact that ownership structure and board composition have on financial performance in a sample of Finnish small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were collected through a private survey. The financial data were collected from the Voitto+ register and observations were made from 2000 to 2005. The authors employ panel data estimation and 2SLS methods in their analyses.FindingsResults suggest that the ownership structure affects both the growth and the profitability of small private firms. Firms with high managerial ownership levels exhibit higher profitability ratios but have lower growth rates. Firms with high venture capital firm ownership ratios are found to grow faster and are less profitable. The results on board structure suggest that board structure has little impact on the performance of small firms. The only significant result in this context is that firms with outside board members have lower growth rates and are less profitable.Practical implicationsThe results of this study can be interpreted to indicate that owner‐managers are risk averse and that venture capital firms seek investments with high growth potential. The results could also imply that outsiders are taken on as board members in badly‐performing firms on financiers' requests, or because it is thought that they can enhance performance.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the few that shed light on how corporate governance and ownership structures affect the performance of small private firms.
The use of ethnicity in recruiting domestic labour
Authors: Lendaro Annalisa , Imdorf Christian 
Published: September 2012

PurposeReferring to the sociology of conventions, the purpose of this paper is to examine how various conventions of work coordination and employee relations affect how recruiters in the domestic labour industry use ethnic categories to match jobs to applicants in the domestic services sector and how institutional gatekeepers relegate immigrant women to jobs with poor career opportunities.Design/methodology/approachCase studies of a public job centre, a domestic service provider and an occupational integration service show the core conventions structuring job placement in Marseille's domestic service industry. Based on nine semi‐structured interviews with representatives of the three respective intermediaries, the authors reconstructed conventions and compromises between them related to the use of ethnic categories as significant criteria in recruitment.FindingsCharacteristic compromises of work conventions frame the organisational use of ethnic categories in the job placement process. Market and domestic conventions are particularly crucial for ethnic criteria to become meaningful in the recruitment process as indicators of cheap and readily available labour. Intersecting with gender, they signal competence in the “domestic world” of beneficiaries’ private homes. Ethnic categories are less meaningful, however, when coordination between intermediary, clients and workers is based on the civic and industrial work conventions.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to better understanding ethnic labelling processes in the placement of immigrant job seekers in the domestic service industry. It points to the problematic fact that denying the recognition of foreign certificates in the industry works to the economic benefit of domestic service providers, while it impedes the careers of female immigrant workers.
Immigrant workers’ (im)mobilities and their re‐emigration strategies
Authors: Pereira Sonia 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to challenge the idea of the immobile immigrant worker, trapped in the bottom segments of the labour market, by exploring how immigrants and their descendants (sometimes designated second generation immigrants) develop re‐emigration strategies in their first country of settlement in Europe when faced with structural or conjunctural barriers to the advancement of their socio‐economic situation.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical evidence was collected through structured interviews aimed at capturing labour market and residential trajectories of workers of African origin and their descendants in Portugal, with a particular emphasis on the period between 1998 and 2006.FindingsFindings suggest that in some cases, immigrants draw on social networks available to them to engage in processes of continued intra‐European mobility. International re‐emigration emerges as a work‐space mobility strategy for migrant workers and their descendants when there was no significant social mobility in the first destination. Similarly, international geographical mobility may constitute a self‐perpetuating strategy across generations to escape structural immobility faced by certain immigrant groups in destination contexts.Research limitations/implicationsExperiences reported are situated, so cannot be taken to represent those of all workers of African origin in Portugal.Social implicationsFindings presented in the paper highlight potential consequences of perpetuating geographical mobility throughout time, namely in terms of labour market conditions and family dynamics. They also highlight the need to look at socio‐economic mobility trajectories within Europe as integrated space and not just within national borders.Originality/valueThe paper proposes an encompassing view of migrants’ (im)mobilities over time, to include the conditions of their labour market incorporation and its links to further spatial, international, mobility.
The effects of academic optimism on elementary reading achievement
Authors: Bevel Raymona K. , Mitchell Roxanne M. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between academic optimism (AO) and elementary reading achievement (RA).Design/methodology/approachUsing correlation and hierarchical linear regression, the authors examined school‐level effects of AO on fifth grade reading achievement in 29 elementary schools in Alabama.FindingsCorrelational analysis revealed that AO was positively correlated with RA (r=0.78,p<0.01), as were all the components of AO, namely: collective efficacy (r=0.70,p<0.01); faculty trust in students and parents (r=0.83,p<0.01); and academic emphasis (r=0.58,p<0.01). Percent free and reduced lunch, which was a proxy for socio‐economic status (SES), was negatively correlated with all the variables in the study. Hierarchical linear regression revealed that academic optimism had a significant effect on RA (b=0.52,p<0.01) and accounted for approximately 18 per cent of the variance in reading achievement above the effects of SES.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the small sample size of 29 schools and the fact that these schools were a part of a sample of convenience. Findings support the conceptualization that AO has a positive effect on RA.Practical implicationsWhile SES has been often seen as an insurmountable factor, this research suggests that the contextual conditions of trust, efficacy, and academic emphasis create an environment conducive for higher academic achievement, despite the level of poverty in the school.Originality/valueThe paper confirms prior studies that have found AO to be linked to achievement and further demonstrates the positive relationships between AO and RA in a sample of elementary schools.
Administrator career paths and decision processes
Authors: Farley‐Ripple Elizabeth N. , Raffel Jeffrey A. , Christine Welch Jennie 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present qualitative evidence on the processes and forces that shape school administrator career paths.Design/methodology/approachAn embedded case study approach is used to understand more than 100 administrator career transitions within the Delaware education system. Semi‐structured interview data were collected from 48 principals and assistant principals. Coding and analysis occurred through an iterative process, revealing patterns in processes and forces influencing the careers of school administrators.FindingsWhile some career decisions are self‐initiated, most are influenced in part or entirely by other actors in the system, described as recruiting/tapping, requesting, reassigning, passing over, and removing. In self‐initiated decisions to move or stay, a number of “pushes” and “pulls” are identified. Findings also suggest the decision to stay‐equilibrium is driven by relationships with students and by district support.Research limitations/implicationsData are limited to Delaware and represent the voices of principals and assistant principals only. Patterns evident in the data suggest a need to further investigate administrator career behavior qualitatively, as well as directions for future research.Practical implicationsThere is a need to better understand and improve local human resource processes in terms of recruitment and assignment of administrators. Additional research is needed to better identify processes and forces related to career decisions in order to improve leadership recruitment and retention.Originality/valueThis research represents the first large‐scale qualitative study of administrator career behavior and is an important companion to recent quantitative analyses in this area.
National culture and infrastructure development
Authors: Mayfield Jacqueline , Mayfield Milton 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the predictive influence of national cultural models on national infrastructure development. The national culture models of Hofstede, GLOBE, Ronen and Shenkar, and the World and European Values Survey (WEVS), were measured and compared to ascertain the best prediction fit for national infrastructure development.Design/methodology/approachA literature review examined four established cultural models, most of which (with the exception of the WEVS) assert stable, holistic models of national culture for business applications. The argument for cultural divergence in key moderators and mediators such as infrastructure development was also discussed. Then each model's predictability was measured with set correlation methodology, using GDP and population as co‐variates. Also, the marginal influence of the other three cultural typologies were controlled for in each respective analysis.FindingsEach model was found to have a positive significant prediction relationship with national culture infrastructure growth. The most promising model is the WEVS which explains a substantial proportion of the variance in national infrastructure. Additionally, WEVS has a higher predictive link to each infrastructure area than the other models. These results are preliminary and cross‐sectional, yet they suggest that dynamic cultural models may be the best predictors of infrastructure development.Practical implicationsThe study shows that increased efforts by the private sector and government can rely on dynamic models to boost national GDPs, and give better strategic guidance to foreign financial investment and human resources management.Originality/valueThe paper supports the hypotheses that national culture models can “grow” GDP to a healthy level through prediction, assessment, and then taking necessary interventions.
The effect of pre‐existing financial indicators on investor valuation of strategic alliances
Authors: Daneshfar Alireza , Adobor Henry 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend the line of research on the ex ante valuation of the economic payoff from strategic alliances. The paper links a firm's related pre‐alliance situation to an alliance announcement, to predict how investors value the alliance.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers collected data on marketing alliances in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Using an empirical model, three hypotheses predicting how investors value alliances in the light of their knowledge of how the firm is doing before the alliance announcement were tested.FindingsThe findings indicate that investors assign higher value to marketing alliances for firms with lower inventory liquidity and product demand. Investors, in fact, rewarded firms with weak pre‐alliance positions, indicating that the alliance was perceived as a useful strategy to turnaround the weak situation.Research limitations/implicationsAs is common with other event study research, the study is unable to predict the long‐term relationship between alliance announcements and performance of the alliance. A positive evaluation at the time of the announcement may not necessarily translate into long‐term success.Practical implicationsThis research provides an important lesson for firms hoping to reap financial rewards from their alliance announcements. Firms may do well to time such alliance announcements to correspond with their internal situations.Originality/valueThis paper is believed to be one of the first to consider an additional piece of firm information in addition to an alliance announcement to gauge investor valuation of alliances. The research therefore extends existing research and offers a more complete understanding of how investors value alliances at their formation. The findings should be of interest to firms contemplating alliances, and enhance understanding of investor decision making.
Corporate governance and earnings management in Malaysian government linked companies
Authors: Har Sani Mohamad Muslim , Majdi Abdul Rashid Hafiz , Mohammed Shawtari Fekri Ali 
Published: September 2012

PurposeAs the major shareholder, in 2004, the Malaysian Government embarked on the transformation initiative of the Government Linked Companies (GLCs). One of the main initiatives was to enhance board effectiveness through its Green Book. Soon after, the progress performance review revealed that the GLCs reported improved earnings. Such drastic performance turnarounds triggered the question as to whether earnings quality is at stake. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the tightening of corporate governance mechanisms on earnings management (EM) activities of the GLCs.Design/methodology/approachThe earnings data for two periods (pre‐ and post‐transformation) were collected and tested to determine whether the GLCs experienced any improvement of board monitoring role in curbing EM activities in the post‐transformation period.FindingsThe main findings show that there is an increase of EM activities in the post‐transformation policy. Furthermore, the study also reveals that none of the corporate governance mechanisms has much impact on curbing activities, except for board meetings and leadership structure in the post‐transformation period. The board meetings and separation of chairman and chief executive officers in the companies were shown to only have a negative impact on EM activities in the post‐transformation period. Although the study has shown a positive preliminary impact from tightening the corporate governance of the GLCs, weak earnings quality might undermine the efforts to sustain such a transformation.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the limited body of literature concerning the impact of corporate governance on earnings management by examining such impact using Government Linked Companies in Malaysia after introducing the transformation programme.
True and fair financial reporting: a tool for better corporate governance
Authors: Pallissery Fincy 
Published: September 2012

PurposeTransparency of financial information promotes corporate growth. The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on the need for strengthening the law governing true and fair corporate accounting. The first part of the paper concentrates on nexus between the importance of transparency in accounting embodied under the provisions of the Companies Act in India and in the UK. Second, the paper focuses on the board of director's duty to prevent corporate fraud through proper financial reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology for this study is analytical. Comparative study of the law governing accounting provisions in India and UK is also looked into.FindingsThe law governing financial transparancy envisaged under the Companies Act in India makes it obligatory on the part of the companies to disclose the material information relevant to the investors. However, the directors of the company often show an unreal picture of the financial position of the company, so as to retain the existing shareholders and to attract more investors. This can be avoided if the composition of audit committees in the companies includes a few representatives of shareholders who are competent to asses the true and fair view of the company accounts prepared by the auditors.Research limitations/implicationsThe focus of this research paper is mainly on the legal regimes and the accounting and auditing provisions of India and the UK.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the Companies Act in India should strengthen the accounting provisions and it should mandate the compulsory observance of accounting standards.
International anti‐money laundering regulation of alternative remittance systems
Authors: Trautsolt Joanna , Johnsøn Jesper 
Published: September 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the recommendations of an influential international advisory body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), towards regulation of Alternative Remittance Systems (ARSs).Design/methodology/approachThe research design is a comparative analysis of Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates, using available FATF documentation and external sources.FindingsThe analysis shows that FATF is right in pointing out that ARSs are useful vehicles for criminals to move operational expenses and launder the proceeds of their crimes. However, based on the cases of Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it is argued that FATF's main approach of seeking to integrate these informal, traditional systems into the sphere and regulations of the formal banking system can be ineffective and even counterproductive in developing countries. Rather than taking a genuinely risk‐based approach, all ARS operators are required to be registered or licensed, conduct Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and fill out Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), just like commercial banks.Research limitations/implicationsThe impact of mandatory registration and requiring CDD and STRs has been negligible in Afghanistan and the UAE. Therefore, the article calls for new approaches to control money laundering in ARSs.Originality/valueThe paper is the first independent, comparative case study analysis of FATF regulations and implementation. It illustrates the limited knowledge/research in the field, and the inherent limitations of the current regulatory approach.
Characterising and predicting cyber attacks using the Cyber Attacker Model Profile (CAMP)
Authors: Watters Paul A. , McCombie Stephen , Layton Robert , Pieprzyk Josef 
Published: September 2012

PurposeEthnographic studies of cyber attacks typically aim to explain a particular profile of attackers in qualitative terms. The purpose of this paper is to formalise some of the approaches to build a Cyber Attacker Model Profile (CAMP) that can be used to characterise and predict cyber attacks.Design/methodology/approachThe paper builds a model using social and economic independent or predictive variables from several eastern European countries and benchmarks indicators of cybercrime within the Australian financial services system.FindingsThe paper found a very strong link between perceived corruption and GDP in two distinct groups of countries – corruption in Russia was closely linked to the GDP of Belarus, Moldova and Russia, while corruption in Lithuania was linked to GDP in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. At the same time corruption in Russia and Ukraine were also closely linked. These results support previous research that indicates a strong link between been legitimate economy and the black economy in many countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. The results of the regression analysis suggest that a highly skilled workforce which is mobile and working in an environment of high perceived corruption in the target countries is related to increases in cybercrime even within Australia. It is important to note that the data used for the dependent and independent variables were gathered over a seven year time period, which included large economic shocks such as the global financial crisis.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to use a modelling approach to directly show the relationship between various social, economic and demographic factors in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe, and the level of card skimming and card not present fraud in Australia.
The impact of money laundering on economic and financial stability and on political development in developing countries
Authors: Aluko Ayodeji , Bagheri Mahmood 
Published: September 2012

PurposeMoney laundering is indeed a global phenomenon which undermines the economic and political stabilities of States. However, as much as money laundering is a global phenomenon, over the last decade, it has been apparent that development countries have been more exposed and vulnerable to its exploits. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate, specifically, the impact of money laundering on economic development, financial stability and also political development of “developing countries”. Hence, the aim and purpose of the paper is to deeply analyse the immense scale, concise effect and impact of the phenomenon of money laundering that hinders economic and political growth in developing countries in contrast to the developed countries. The paper also intends to examine the above issues in the context of Nigeria as a developing country.Design/methodology/approachIn developing this paper, emphasis was placed on primary sources of information and references to secondary sources of information where relevant. Therefore, the methodology employed in this paper is analytical and based on the facts reflected in the secondary sources and also legal and socio‐economic analyses of money laundering phenomenon.FindingsThe phenomenon of money laundering, amongst other economic and financial crimes have had better success in infiltrating into the economic and political structures of most developing countries therefore resulting to economic digression and political instability. Although, developing countries have responded and continue to respond, through legislative measures, to the menace of money laundering, at national level, however, money launderers, have exploited the lax regulatory environment, vulnerable financial systems along with persistence civil and political unrest of most the developing countries. The findings of the paper also highlight the relationship between corruption and money laundering in developing countries.Originality/valueThe paper is very unique in its approach as it combines legal analyses with social philosophy or combating money laundering and from a perspective of law of development both at the national and international levels, it focuses on the negative impacts of money laundering on the development of developing countries such as Nigeria.