bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Building a model of corporate social responsibility in the old industrial region(in the case of Upper Silesia): a sociological perspective
Authors: Szczepański Marek S. , Geisler Robert , Śliz Anna 
Published: March 2009

PurposeCorporate social responsibility (CSR) is one of the most crucial phenomena of global capitalism at the beginning of the twenty‐first century. For this reason it is emphasized by many companies (especially transnational corporations and multinational companies) and in the European Union and its policy. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze how CSR exists in a transitional country and region – the Upper Silesian Industrial District and the Rybnik Coalmine Area in Southern Poland.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative and quantitative methodology was used to summarize the sociological research among entrepreneurs and businesses located throughout the region.FindingsThis research showed that the CSR model is a new phenomenon, relatively unknown to entrepreneurs and managers, although there are some examples of CSR practices which currently exist in the strategies of certain companies. These companies are enterprises with significant foreign capital, which proves the theory that CSR is a new kind of idea and consciousness coming into Poland (and Upper Silesia) from abroad. Small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) that belong to the Polish citizens are characterized by an unconscious mode of CSR. There are also examples of building a CSR model in the local perspective among SMEs through European projects. One project called “Inherit the Job” had a goal which was to have local companies recruit the long‐term unemployed for internships and practice and at the end of the program to employ them. To conclude, building a CSR model at the local/regional level depends on one's mentality and way of thinking and it will be a huge challenge in the coming years of transition.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of the research is that companies are not very open to researchers and often would like to present themselves in a public relations manner and not reveal the true condition of the company.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the research are to create new programs focusing on CSR awareness and distribute them among SMEs and other companies.Originality/valueThe original value of the research is in showing how the model of CSR as a social phenomenon is implemented among entrepreneurs and companies in the Upper Silesian Industrial District.
Corruption and economic growth in some selected transitional economies
Authors: Ishola Mobolaji Hakeem , Omoteso Kamil 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe general objective of the paper is to investigate the impact of corruption and other institutional factors on economic growth in some selected transitional economies for the period of 1990‐2004 and make policy recommendations for combating it. Specifically, the study attempts to: assess whether corruption has any impact on the growth of the sample countries; examine whether simultaneous policy reform focussing on accountability and rule of law impact positively on growth of these economies; and investigate whether corruption in these countries exhibit the efficient grease syndrome.Design/methodology/approachThe indices for corruption and other institutional variables were drawn from International Country Risk Guide (ICRG – PRS) for the period of 1990‐2004, the polity data were obtained from the Polity IV, while the real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita growth were obtained from the Penn World 6.2. The study covered the period between 1990 and 2004 that coincides with the real transition of these economies from centrally planned to market economies. It adopts the panel data framework, the fixed effect, the random effect and the maximum likelihood estimation techniques for the analysis.FindingsThe study's findings support Mauro's hypothesis that corruption has a negative impact on the economies. However, the study cannot find a robust statistical evidence to support the efficient grease hypothesis of Leff and Huntington.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper recommends policy efforts that would strengthen accountability and bureaucratic quality, reduce discretionary power, ethnic fractionalisation and military involvement in politics with a view to enhancing social responsibility practices at both micro and macro levels.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies that focussed on single cross‐country regression with an assumption of identical aggregate production function for all countries, this study adopts the panel data framework that makes it possible to allow for differences in the form of unobservable individual country effects. The paper employs the fixed effect, the random effect and the maximum likelihood estimation techniques.
Contribution on the analysis of the environmental disclosure: a comparative study of American and European multinationals
Authors: Saida Dammak 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThis research aims to compare the environmental information that is disclosed in the annual reports of the American and European multinational companies. Eventually, it also aims to try to show the factors which explain the differences.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyzes the annual reports of 72 multinational companies, thanks to the index developed by Wiseman. The paper then uses regression analysis in order to explain the differences.FindingsThe study finds that European multinationals reveal more environmental information than those that are American. Equally, it finds that the nationality of multinational companies seems to have an effect on the level of environmental communication.Research limitations/implicationsThe quantitative data are based on a small sample of multinational companies. However, findings will bring efficient contributions to the other studies dealing with the accounting harmonization.Originality/valueThe study aims at enriching the debates on this question, comparing the environmental information (obligatory and voluntary) showed by the annual reports of the American and European multinational companies.
Corporate governance and law‐role of independent directors: theory and practice in India
Authors: Bose Iti 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe paper seeks to bring focus to the significance of the role of directors in corporate performance. The principles of good governance are not unknown to the Indian traditions. Today adoption of good corporate governance practices has emerged as an integral element for doing business. Understanding how boards impact on corporate performance is a question central to the corporate governance research agenda.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explores the theoretical and historical link to the structure and functioning of the board of directors with special emphasis of the norms established by the Security Exchange Board of India (SEBI).FindingsAs global business interest in India keeps growing, so does the expectation that Indian companies must play – and be seen to play – by rules that are clear to international investors. Demands have long been heard for greater transparency in the way Indian companies do business. The reforms, ordained by the SEBI, are laid out in amendments to Clause 49 of the companies listing agreement with Indian stock exchanges, a section that pertains to corporate governance. Among the requirements are: more independent directors on boards and audit committees; a code of conduct for board members; a larger role for the audit committee; mandatory risk assessments and certification by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the effectiveness of internal accounting controls.Originality/valueThe paper advances the understanding of board structure and performance in Indian corporate governance system by examining the norms established by the SEBI.
The forgotten managing agency system: a nineteenth century model of Indian corporate governance
Authors: Ghosh Ray Kamal 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show that there did exist a typical “managing agency system” in pre‐independent corporate India, which itself was a significant and powerful system of corporate governance.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative exploration and analysis of the nineteenth century model of corporate governance and its impact on industrialisation in pre‐independent India.FindingsInitially, the system of managing agency was instrumental in improving the performances of companies through economies of scale and scope and other best practices. Gradually, over the century it became corrupt and opposed to the interests of majority of the stakeholders. However, the superstructure of the system, even though not backed by any legal framework, has been found to be solid and not inferior to the present day corporate governance system and practices.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the absence of corporate data warehousing, and lack of presence of corporate and business literature in the nineteenth century, the research could not be made empirical. Much of comparisons could not be made between the now and then corporate practices, management style and financial performances.Practical implicationsThe findings and analysis of this paper provide a direction to the policy makers, governments and researchers in formulating an alternative model of corporate governance for sustainable development of the society.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the few attempts made so far on the subject and rediscovers “managing agency system” in the light of the corporate governance practices of modern times. It has paved the path for further meaningful and value adding deliberations and researches.
Implementation of best practice code: practical implications from the Warsaw Stock Exchange
Authors: Aluchna Maria 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the best practice initiative in Poland, presenting codes formulated in 2002 and 2005 and focusing on the recent document known asBest Practice of WSE Listed Companies. Moreover, the paper aims to present practical aspects of implementation of new code between January and April 2008.Design/methodology/approachThe paper identifies the guidelines recommended in three versions of the Warsaw Stock Exchange code of best practice. Additionally it discusses companies' doubts and questions addressed to the Warsaw Stock Exchange, analyzes technical challenges referring to new system of reporting on companies compliance as well as raises some concerns regarding the content of the new code.FindingsThe paper shows that the codes of best practice attempted to address the most problematic issues of transitional Polish corporate governance. The recommendations content was adopted during the last eight years as the response to the changes in market environment and governance challenges. However, the new code addresses mostly the strategic plans of the Warsaw Stock Exchange rather than the corporate needs and its implementation and communication with listed companies leaves a lot of room for improvement.Practical implicationsThe analysis addresses the needs for coherence between the crucial moments of development of corporate governance and the code of best practice. Moreover, it points out potential shortcomings in the process of the code implementation.Originality/valueThe paper is based on the documents prepared by the Warsaw Stock Exchange, companies remarks as well as author's experience of working at the Stock Exchange during the first three months of 2008 code implementation.
Moving Milan towards Expo 2015: designing culture into a city brand
Authors: De Carlo Manuela , Canali Silvia , Pritchard Annette , Morgan Nigel 
Published: March 2009

PurposeTo create a competitive edge in today's tourism marketplace, cities seek to differentiate themselves and create a positive image. Yet, there is little consensus about city branding processes and few case studies. This paper aims to explore Milan's brand image and personality, focusing on the extent to which its image is dominated by business and fashion or culture and heritage and the implications of this positioning for Milan's re‐branding in preparation for Expo 2015.Design/methodology/approachThe paper combines quantitative and qualitative primary research. It reports the findings of a questionnaire survey, a web survey, desk research and focus group research. It analyses actual and potential tourists' perceptions, Milan's heritage product, current brand personality and the brand fingerprint.FindingsBusiness tourism is central to Milan's prosperity; in contrast, its significant cultural attractions remain marginal to its tourism offer. This results in a narrow range of tourist perceptions of the destination and highly seasonal tourist activity.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper represents the discovery phase research for a new city brand and further longitudinal and qualitative work is required.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications for the development of a consistent destination branding strategy analyzing the first steps of the definition of the Milan's brand.Originality/valueThe paper makes practical recommendations to tourism and place marketing practitioners for broadening Milan's brand to build on the city's strong architectural and cultural heritage. It also has value for tourism academics since it makes a methodological contribution to the place branding literature through its use of projective techniques.
Who's your target? The creative class as a target group for place branding
Authors: Zenker Sebastian 
Published: March 2009

PurposeToday we have to face the challenge of competing in a globalized world for scarce goods, such as residents in general, and in particular for those with talents, the so‐called “creative class”. This class is the driving force for economic growth, so winning the competition for these individuals is one of the main tasks for cities and regions today. However, to face this challenge using place marketing and city branding, we have to understand the needs and preferences of this target group. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachIn a field study (n=1,258) the basic needs and preferences of the creative class were analyzed. The creative class with the non‐creative class were compared using a univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA).FindingsStructural differences were found for the ratings of the importance of different needs for the creative class and the non‐creative class. Consequences for creative class theory are discussed.Research limitations/implicationsIt may not be possible to generalize the results found in this German sample to a sample with a different cultural background without further intercultural comparisons. Furthermore, the focus was on four basic factors of city evaluation, not on specific needs for single subgroups. Further research questions are identified and discussed.Originality/valueThe creative class as a target group is very popular in place marketing. This paper discusses the needs and preference structure of this target group and the need for a more precise definition of the creative class.
Santa Fe: a “global enclave” in Mexico city
Authors: Pérez Negrete Margarita 
Published: March 2009

PurposeIn response to increased interurban competition in contemporary globalization, cities are employing marketing strategies to differentiate and identify themselves from each other. The creation and development of strategic places is nowadays guided by marketing strategies that brand places in order to promote them at an international scale. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the application of a global branding practice to a place in Mexico City. This has been used as an instrument of urban planning to achieve a new image; as a nodal point to articulate the country and the city to the global economy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the results of anthropological research and consequently it is written from ethnographic accounts. It reflects the point of view of different groups such as government, planners, workers, and residents and describes how globalization discourse has been materialized and what kind of social practices emerge from it.FindingsAlthough Santa Fe has been built to create the image of a global place articulated to the world economy, the paper demonstrates how the new urban model intensifies social contrasts and exacerbates social inequalities between elites and marginalized groups. The findings evaluate to what extent place branding, as a pragmatic activity, leaves aside complex social forces that are shaping the urban context.Originality/valueThe paper offers the opportunity to evaluate what constitutes a trend in urban planning in world cities with unequal socioeconomic structures; as well as providing a close overview that questions the consequences generated by the implementation of homogeneous urban planning patterns that seem to be applied to very different cities as a way of positioning places which are in global competition.
Ambassador networks and place branding
Authors: Andersson Marcus , Ekman Per 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe use of brand ambassadors is a quite recent phenomenon, even in the business world. This paper aims to explore the employment of ambassador networks as a place marketing and place development tool. This is done by identifying various kinds of networks, understanding how networks are governed, and pinning down the motivations and expectations of network members.Design/methodology/approachThe study used interviews and a survey to collect empirical material. The research process employed an approach with many inductive elements, deemed appropriate given that research into the topic is scant.FindingsThe study identified four main dimensions of networks and, on this basis, we outline a typology with four main categories of networks. One major finding is that ambassador networks are seen not only as a communication channel, but also as a development resource. That means they are seen as enhancing the general competitiveness of the place involved. The networks are also seen as a resource for mobilising local citizen pride. Another finding was that ambassadors value getting access to first‐hand information about the place much more than the opportunity of taking part in meetings and events and forming new relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are in line with the perspective of the place brand as a “relational brand network”, extending place branding beyond a matter of just one‐way communication. It is somewhat surprising that ambassadors value getting access to information more than interaction, given that other research puts such a high value on interaction and dialogue as value‐creating factors.Practical implicationsBased on the observations in the study, it is argued that ambassador networks have the potential to constitute an integral component of place brand management.Originality/valueResearch on the application of ambassador networks in place marketing seems to be scant, not to say non‐existent. The present study relates to the implementation of place branding, and can hopefully contribute to a more efficient practice as well as a better theoretical understanding.
Can association methods reveal the effects of internal branding on tourism destination stakeholders?
Authors: Wagner Olivia , Peters Mike 
Published: March 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to employ the collage technique, an unstructured qualitative association instrument, with respect to place branding initiatives and to uncover internal stakeholders' perceptions of the region or destination.Design/methodology/approachThe first part presents a general framework of brand and destination branding in the field of tourism research. The empirical study was carried out in selected Alpine tourism destinations. In the first stage the authors identified the main representatives of stakeholders in two Austrian tourism destinations. In the second, the collage technique was used to obtain stakeholders' perceptions of the tourism destination brand.FindingsThe findings reveal that different internal stakeholders trace different perceptions of tourism places and illustrate the importance of using the collage as a technique to explore the various identities of a place.Research limitations/implicationsIt is argued that internal destination stakeholders do not share the same brand perception of the destination brand and they do not share a common identity, which is communicated through the destination management organisations (DMOs). However, more research is needed to support these findings as the study is limited by its sample size and focus on the Alpine region of Tyrol, Austria.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that DMOs should establish better identities within their destination. In particular, they must consider that the collage is a very important technique in communicating the desired brand identity to internal destination stakeholders.Originality/valueThis paper seeks to clarify the effectiveness of the collage method as a tool to measure stakeholders' identities of selected tourism destinations. The paper demonstrates the importance of employing different association methods (word or picture) in recognizing stakeholders' knowledge and opinions of destinations as a primary step in analyzing stakeholders' brand identity perception.
Investor‐based place brand equity: a theoretical framework
Authors: Jacobsen Björn P. 
Published: March 2009

PurposeMany post‐industrial cities are characterised by the effects of globalisation, de‐regulation, regionalisation and technological developments. The application of supply‐side strategies to meet the challenges arising from these effects has contributed to the homogeneity of places which economic development professionals try to escape by creating place brands. Considerable resources are allocated to such place marketing efforts – so far without being able to measure the impact. The aim of this paper is to present a framework to analyse place brand equity from the foreign direct investor's point of view in an attempt to identify the place brand actuators which contribute to (more) efficient place brands.Design/methodology/approachBased on literature research, customer‐based FMCG brand equity models are analysed and adapted to the characteristics of places.FindingsIt is expected that the behaviour of the place brand customer (i.e. the decision to invest in a certain place) depends on the assessment of the place brand values which in turn are derived from the perception of place brand assets. These findings have been included in the investor‐based place brand equity (IPE) framework. Applying the IPE framework to place brands enables the development of more efficient place brands, making better use of public funds and thus increasing the acceptance of place branding efforts.Research limitations/implicationsThe IPE framework is based on the application of (modified) FMCG approaches to places. The resulting framework will need empirical verification.Originality/valueThe branding of places as an attempt to attract investors has become a popular approach for place marketing professionals. Assessment of place brand equity reveals whether such approaches are efficient. Based on assessment of efficiency, suggestions for the improvement of place brands can be identified.