Dependent Theory Research Articles

Gig Economy: Is It a Trap or Stepping Stone for the Informal Sector?

The informal sector and technology have complex interactions, shaping economic activity, job trends, and social outcomes, especially with the rise of the “gig economy”, in which individuals work on an as-needed basis through online platforms. This article explores several theoretical frameworks, such as modernization theory, dependence theory, structuralist approaches, and post-structuralist viewpoints, and investigates how different frameworks explain the effects of technology on informal economic activity. This article also reviews for comprehending the correlation between the informal sector and technology. Besides that, this article explores the dual nature of the gig economy, examining whether it serves as a trap that perpetuates the vulnerabilities of the informal sector or as a stepping stone toward more excellent economic stability and mobility. Although the gig economy provides opportunities for income generation, skill development, and flexible working conditions, it also presents substantial challenges, such as job insecurity, a lack of benefits, and potential exploitation. This paper also addresses the implications for policy and future research directions by the sustainable development goal (SDG) of fostering sustainable, inclusive, and long-term economic growth, as well as full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Communist Ideals to Capitalist Realities: Uncovering Kerala Model’s Struggle with Foreign Aid(ed) Dependency and Disempowerment of the Marginalized

This article analyses Kerala’s development model through dependency theory, highlighting its reliance on foreign aid and consequent policy constraints. It examines how tied loans eroded Kerala’s policy autonomy and social model, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups. The state’s financial crisis and strained central relations led to accepting loans with neoliberal conditionalities, undermining welfare policies. Using the World Bank-funded Jalanidhi project as a case study, it contextualizes Kerala’s aid dependence within global capitalism, where aid often acts as “euphemized domination.” It reveals the model’s vulnerabilities, interlinked with exploitative global relations, and advocates for economic restructuring fostering self-reliance and people-centered development.

Hot carrier transfer from plasmon decay in Ag20at H-Si(111) surface: Real-time TDDFT simulation in Wannier gauge.

Plasmon decay is believed to play an essential role in inducing hot carrier transfer at the interfaces between plasmonic nanoparticles and semiconductor surfaces. In this work, we employ real-time time- dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT) simulation in the Wannier gauge to gain quantum- mechanical insights into the nonlinear dynamics of the plasmon decay in the Ag20 nanoparticle at a semiconductor surface. The first-principles simulations show that the plasmon decay is more than two times faster when the Ag20 nanoparticle is adsorbed on a hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surface, taking place within 100 femtoseconds of the plasmon excitation. Hot carrier transfer across the interface is observed as the plasmon decay takes place, and nearly 30% of holes are generated deep in the valence band of the semiconductor surface. The use of Wannier gauge in RT-TDDFT simulation is particularly convenient for gaining quantum-mechanical insights into non-equilibrium electron dynamics in complex heterogeneous systems.

The impact of female board membership and firm performance on the environmental management system

This paper examines the effect of gender diversity on the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) measured as ISO 14001 adoption among Saudi-listed companies. In this study, we propose that female board members significantly influence EMS adoption by employing agency theory, stakeholder theory and resource dependency theory to predict the relationship. The final sample of this study consists of 44 firm-year observations for non-financial companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange with ISO 14001 certification from 2016 to 2019. The logistic regression results show that higher representation of women on boards is associated with more extensive use of EMS indicating the importance of gender diversity in enhancing corporate environmental responsibility. Moreover, companies with better financial performance are less likely to adopt comprehensive ecological management practices. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by revealing how board diversity is related to financial performance and environment management systems among firms operating in emerging markets. These findings have policy implications for policymakers, business leaders and researchers engaged in sustainable development initiatives to enhance governance mechanisms.

Effect of Green Supply Chain Innovation Alliance on Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi County

Purpose: The general objective of the study was to determine influence of green supply chain innovation alliances on performance of manufacturing firms, in Nairobi County Kenya. Methodology: The study was informed by Social Exchange Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, Resource-Based view and Resource Dependency Theory. The research design for this study was an explanatory survey research design; this is primarily a positivism approach. The population for the study will constitute manufacturing firms in Kenya. Thus, the unit of observation was 516 procurement managements from 516 manufacturing firms. The research employed stratified and simple random to select a sample of 225. This study used structured questionnaires to collect data relevant to the study. Descriptive analysis such as means, standard deviation and variance. Findings: linear regression models showed that green supply chain innovation alliances have a positive and statistically significant influence on firm performance, highlighting their essential role in enhancing success for manufacturing firms. A strong partnership with suppliers and specialized expertise in green supply chain management are crucial for this improvement. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Therefore, the study recommends that organizations actively strengthen their green supply chain innovation alliances by establishing joint sustainability initiatives and creating regular collaboration forums with suppliers to share best practices and innovative solutions.

Friendshoring: how geopolitical tensions affect foreign sourcing, supply base complexity, and sub-tier supplier sharing

PurposeThis paper examines the influence of geopolitical tensions—operationalized as political divergence between governments—on firms’ foreign supply bases and the resulting effects on supply base complexity and sub-tier supplier sharing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct panel data regression analyses over the period 2003–2019 to investigate whether political divergence affects foreign supply bases for 2,858 US firms sourcing from 99 countries and to examine how political divergence exposure impacts the supply network structures of 853 US firms.FindingsFirms reduce their supply bases in countries exposed to heightened geopolitical tensions. These supply chain adjustments are associated with increased supply base complexity and greater sub-tier supplier sharing.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of state relations in global supply chain reconfiguration. Political divergence between governments provides a dual-view of political risk (i.e. buyer–supplier countries), which can help firms anticipate geopolitical disruptions. While reducing supply bases in foreign countries facing heightened geopolitical tensions is intended to mitigate disruptions, these supply base adjustments are linked to increased supply base complexity and sub-tier supplier sharing, thereby exposing firms to other types of supply disruptions. Additionally, this research contributes to understanding the effects of geopolitical tensions on supply base complexity through the lenses of transaction cost economics and resource dependence theory.

Climate governance, growth opportunities, and innovation in addressing climate change: Empirical evidence from emerging countries

Emerging economies are often more vulnerable to the impacts of global warming, experiencing devastating floods and a collapse in agricultural production. This study, under the lens of resource dependence theory, aims to determine the role of climate governance and growth opportunities in driving the adoption of climate change mitigation initiatives by the leading listed companies in the 28 most important emerging economies from 2013 to 2022. The results indicate that climate governance mechanisms facilitate the development of innovative solutions to fight climate change. However, further efforts are required to mitigate the negative effects of growth opportunities and disruptive events.

Strategic Management Practices and Accessibility of Non-Governmental Organizations to Donor Funding in Turkana County, Kenya

Non-governmental organizations exist in international development to offer services to vulnerable persons and communities, and as policy advocate’s campaigners. The contemporary environment in which non-governmental organizations operate is increasingly becoming uncertain and unpredictable, with an increased inability to meet budget allocation due to inadequate funds. This study examined strategic management practices and accessibility of non-governmental organizations’ to donor funding in Turkana County, Kenya. The study specifically examined the influence of strategy implementation and strategy evaluation and accessibility of non-governmental organizations’ donor funding in Turkana County, Kenya. The study was grounded on theories that included: Strategic fit theory and Resource dependency theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Respondents were selected using stratified random sampling. The study targeted the low-level, middle-level and senior managers of the 30 non-governmental organizations operating in Turkana County. The research relied on structured questionnaires in the data collection process. Inferential statistics and descriptive statistics were utilized in data analysis. The study also relied on frequencies, mean and standard deviation in presenting descriptive results. The inferential statistics used were correlation analysis, regression analysis and analysis of variances. The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant regression effect and indicative of accomplished prediction of accessibility of Non-governmental organizations to donor funding through the F-calculated value which showed that the model was significant. Strategy implementation explained 49.1%, and strategy evaluation 44.3% the variations in accessibility of Non-governmental organizations to donor funding in Turkana County, Kenya. The study recommended for further research work to be conducted to review the influence of other variables on accessibility of non-governmental organizations to donor funding in Turkana county and other counties in Kenya. Keywords: Strategy implementation, Strategy Evaluation, Accessibility of NGO’s to Donor Funding

Extracting efficient exact real number computation from proofs in constructive type theory

Abstract Exact real computation is an alternative to floating-point arithmetic where operations on real numbers are performed exactly, without the introduction of rounding errors. When proving the correctness of an implementation, one can focus solely on the mathematical properties of the problem without thinking about the subtleties of representing real numbers. We propose a new axiomatization of the real numbers in a dependent type theory with the goal of extracting certified exact real computation programs from constructive proofs. Our formalization differs from similar approaches, in that we formalize the reals in a conceptually similar way as some mature implementations of exact real computation. Primitive operations on reals can be extracted directly to the corresponding operations in such an implementation, producing more efficient programs. We particularly focus on the formalization of partial and nondeterministic computation, which is essential in exact real computation. We prove the soundness of our formalization with regards to the standard realizability interpretation from computable analysis and show how to relate our theory to a classical formalization of the reals. We demonstrate the feasibility of our theory by implementing it in the Coq proof assistant and present several natural examples. From the examples we have automatically extracted Haskell programs that use the exact real computation framework AERN for efficiently performing exact operations on real numbers. In experiments, the extracted programs behave similarly to native implementations in AERN in terms of running time and memory usage.

Under double shadows: how U.S.–China trade relations and path dependence shape China's IP preliminary injunction system

ABSTRACT The current IP preliminary injunction system in China is an awkward mixture that has developed under two shadows: U.S.–China trade relations, and path dependence. This article traces the historical moments when China amended its rules on IP preliminary injunctions. It finds that, while U.S.–China trade relations facilitated the transplantation of equitable standards into the regime, the basic procedural framework, rooted in the civil law tradition, remains largely intact. These double shadows have introduced pressing problems into the system. However, most of these issues can be attributed to China's retention of its basic procedural framework, which is shared with and originates from the property preservation system. Path dependence theory aptly explains this developmental trajectory and offers normative guidance for future reforms. It may not be feasible to conduct a full cost–benefit analysis on establishing a standalone framework for IP preliminary injunctions in China, which would represent a radical alteration of the system. However, the developmental-evolution model of path dependence theory can still provide valuable insights, even if the system currently exhibits a semi-strong form of path dependence. Chinese legislators could design future incremental reforms with path evolution in mind, aiming for a gradual recombination that ultimately pulls the IP preliminary injunction system out of its original procedural framework. Once sufficient incremental reforms have accumulated, decision-makers can seize critical junctures (such as future escalations in U.S.–China trade conflicts) as opportunities to establish a new, standalone framework for IP preliminary injunctions, thereby breaking the lock-in loop.

Intelligent manufacturing, auditor selection and audit quality

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of intelligent manufacturing on audit quality and its underlying mechanism as well as the variation in this influence across different types of organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis research utilizes a difference-in-differences (DID) method to examine how enterprises that apply intelligent manufacturing choose auditors and impact their audit work. The study is based on 15,228 observations of Chinese-listed A-shares from 2011 to 2020.Findings(1) There is a strong correlation between intelligent manufacturing and audit quality. (2) This positive correlation is statistically significant only in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), those that have steady institutional investors and where the roles of the CEO and chairman are distinct. (3) Enterprises that have implemented intelligent manufacturing are more inclined to employ auditors who possess extensive industry expertise. The auditor's industry expertise plays a crucial role in ensuring audit quality. (4) The adoption of intelligent manufacturing also leads to higher audit fees and longer audit delay periods.Practical implicationsThis paper validates the beneficial impact of intelligent manufacturing on improving corporate governance. In addition, it is recommended that managers prioritize the involvement of skilled auditors with specialized knowledge in the industry to ensure the high audit quality and the transparency of information in intelligent manufacturing enterprises.Originality/valueThis study builds upon previous research that has shown the importance of artificial intelligence in enhancing audit procedures. It contributes to the existing body of knowledge by examining how enterprise intelligent manufacturing systems (IMS) enhance audit quality. Additionally, this study provides valuable information on how to improve audit quality in the field of intelligent manufacturing by strategically selecting auditors based on resource dependency theory.

Amplifying the photovoltaic properties of tetrathiafulvalenes based materials by incorporation of small acceptors: a density functional theory approach

Currently, polycyclic aromatic compounds in organic solar cells (OSCs) have gained substantial consideration in research communities due to their promising characteristics. Herein, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) core-based chromophores (TTFD1-TTFD6) were designed by structural modifications of peripheral acceptor groups into TTFR. The density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations were carried out at B3LYP/6-311G (d, p) functional to explore insights for their structural, electronic, and photonic characteristics. The structural modulation unveiled notable electronic impact on the HOMO and LUMO levels across all derivatives, leading to decreased band gaps. All the designed compounds exhibited band gap ranging from 2.246 to 1.957 eV, along with wide absorption spectra of 897.071-492.274 nm. An elevated exciton dissociation rate was observed due to the lower binding energy values (Eb = 0.381 to 0.365 eV) calculated in the derivatives compared to the reference (Eb = 0.394 eV). Furthermore, data from the transition density matrix (TDM) and density of states (DOS) also corroborated the effective charge transfer process. Comparable results of Voc for reference and designed chromophores were obtained via HOMOdonor−LUMOPC71BM. The declining Voc order values was noted as TTFD5 > TTFD6 > TTFD4 > TTFD3 > TTFD2 > TTFD1 > TTFR. Interestingly, TTFD5 was found with the smallest energy gap and highest absorption value, resulting in better charge transference among all the derivatives. The results illustrated that the modification in indenofluorene based chromophores with end-capped small acceptors proved to be a significant approach in achieving favorable photovoltaic properties.

The Influence of Business Ethics and Diversity on ESG Disclosure: Empirical Evidence from Indonesian Firms

This study examines the impact of corporate governance mechanisms, board characteristics, and ethical leadership on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance in Indonesian companies. The analysis investigates how board ethics, independence, tenure, ownership structure, and other governance factors influence ESG scores. The findings reveal that board ethics and independence significantly improve ESG performance, supporting the role of ethical leadership and resource dependence theory in shaping corporate sustainability. Additionally, the study highlights the role of institutional ownership in driving ESG outcomes, particularly in emerging markets. Cultural factors, such as board culture, also contribute to the variability in ESG performance, suggesting the importance of aligning corporate governance practices with local values and global sustainability standards. The results have important theoretical implications, extending corporate governance theories to the context of developing economies. Practically, the findings provide insights for policymakers, corporate leaders, and investors to enhance ESG performance through effective governance reforms and ethical leadership. This study offers a significant contribution to the growing literature on ESG in emerging markets and provides a foundation for future research on corporate sustainability in different institutional settings.

Women’s Presence on Boards and Financial Performance: Evidence from Southeast Asia

The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of female board representation on financial performance in Southeast Asia. To compare the presence of women, three proxies are used: the percentage of women, the Blau Index, and the Shannon Index. The samples for five-year intervals (2017-2021) include 249 Southeast Asian enterprises and 1,245 observations. The Fixed Effect Model results show that, based on all three proxies, women's board participation leads to lower financial performance, which contradicts the Agency and Resource Dependence Theories. This document serves as a resource for regulators and stakeholders in developing effective and proper corporate governance, particularly in board compositions that need a proportion of women in Southeast Asia. The conclusions of this study may be impacted.

Partnering Implementation in SMEs: The Role of Trust

Resource Dependence Theory suggests that (a) power balance with resource interdependency, (b) formal/informal procedures for resource exchange, and (c) matching in goals and operational philosophies positively affect partnering implementation (information exchange and joint decision-making). Additionally, improved partnering implementation positive affects commitment fulfillment and dispute resolution. In a setting where SMEs supply to small local retailers, the SMEs do not suffer from low bargaining power and rely on informal contracts, and both firms are compatible. The small trading partners in this study predominantly have face-to-face and telephonic interactions with each other (possible due to the small number). Knowledge of one another and a simple transaction process reduces risk and uncertainty, and leads to trust. In this study, trust is a contextual factor, and we aim to determine if there is a positive effect of (a), (b), and (c) on partnering implementation, and if the effect strengthens with an increase in the level of trust. Survey data are used to calibrate and validate a structural equation model independently. Through empirical research, we aim to identify deviations in results, determine the cause of deviation in the study characteristics, and add explanatory power to research findings. Except for the influence of trust on the positive relationship between informal procedures and partnering implementation, the finding fits with the theoretical bases. With a high level of trust, clarity in time, accuracy, and relevance of information exchanged may be lacking, compromising decision-making and adding to the ambiguity of partnering implementation with an informal agreement.

Using Political Connections to Raise Rivals’ Costs: Evidence from an Emerging Market

AbstractIn this paper, we leverage resource dependency theory to examine the impact of political connections on rivals’ costs and how this impact is affected by rival‐side and politician‐side contingencies. Using a panel dataset of Pakistani firms, our system generalized method of moments estimates show that politically connected firms can increase their rivals’ costs by influencing their rivals’ dependency relationship with the government. This impact is attenuated by the rivals’ strategic flexibility and social legitimacy, which provide some protection or insulation from political attacks in resource markets. Together, our findings extend the contingent dynamics of resource dependency in political markets from focal firms to competitors and offer significant contributions to the corporate political activity literature and resource dependency theory.

Dependence, power imbalance, and value gains in business process outsourcing

AbstractWe examine the impact of interdependencies in business process outsourcing (BPO) relationships on client and vendor firm values both in the short term and over a longer time horizon. Drawing from recent research incorporating the resource dependence theory, which appertains the interdependence to both mutual dependence and power imbalance in interfirm relationships, we posit the value proposition of BPO to be greater for mutually dependent engagements, and more so for the vendor than for the client. In addition, we posit the power imbalance in BPO relationships to be detrimental for clients and vendors, and thus, the value proposition of such BPO is expected to be lower for both. We empirically examine these issues through an event study of 285 publicly announced BPO engagements and find that mutually dependent BPO relationships, which were difficult to decouple, are value enhancing for both clients and vendors, and more so for vendors. In addition, although the power imbalances were expected to be detrimental to both, we find this power imbalance to negatively affect only the vendors but had a positive effect on clients.

Nuclear energy and international relations: the external strategy of Russia’s Rosatom

AbstractThis article analyses the role of nuclear energy in global politics today through the perspective of three International Relations theories: realism, liberalism and dependency theory. It contends that concepts developed to investigate oil and gas geopolitics do not always apply to the nuclear sector due to its greater complexity. The supply chain for nuclear power involves different, interrelated stages—notably the provision of natural uranium, of enriched uranium, and the construction and servicing of nuclear reactors—which have distinct leading suppliers and relationships of dependence. We illustrate this through a case study of Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom. Rosatom leads in the provision of enriched uranium and reactor construction. This enables Russia to deepen economic and political relations with Rosatom’s clients. Even after its attack on Ukraine, Russia has not ‘weaponized’ Rosatom’s international business. Its strategy focuses on consolidating its reputation as a trustworthy partner, especially in the Global South and China.

Conformational and Solvent Effects on the Photoinduced Electron Transfer Dynamics of a Zinc Phthalocyanine-Benzoperylenetriimide Conjugate: A Nonadiabatic Dynamics Simulation.

Herein, we employed a combination of static electronic structure calculations and nonadiabatic dynamics simulations at linear-response time dependent density functional theory (LR-TDDFT) level with the optimally tuned range-separated hybrid (OT-RSH) functional to explore the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics of a zinc phthalocyanine-benzoperylenetriimide (ZnPc-BPTI) conjugate. Due to the flexibility of the linker, we identified two major conformations: the stacked conformation (ZnPc-BPTI-1) and the extended conformation (ZnPc-BPTI-2). Since the charge transfer states are much lower than the lowest local excitation in ZnPc-BPTI-1, which is contrary to ZnPc-BPTI-2, the ultrafast electron transfer (~3.6 ps) is only observed in the nonadiabatic simulations of ZnPc-BPTI-1 upon local excitation around the absorption maximum of ZnPc. However, when considering the solvent effects in benzonitrile: the lowest S1 states are both charge transfer states from ZnPc to BPTI for different conformers. Subsequent nonadiabatic dynamics simulations indicate that both conformers experience ultrafast electron transfer in benzonitrile with two time constants of 90 [100] fs and 1.40 [1.43] ps. Our present work not only agrees well with previous experimental study, but also points out the important role of conformational changes and solvent effects in regulating the photodynamics of organic donor-acceptor conjugates.

The multilevel determinants of overlapping membership on board committees: Evidence from Chinese banks

This study manually collects data on 4090 board committee members from 36 listed banks in 11 regions of China from 2007 to 2020, uses a hierarchical linear model, and integrates institutional and resource dependence theories to examine the multilevel determinants of overlapping membership on board committees. The results show that low legalization and the absence of chief risk officers promote overlapping membership on board committees. Directors who have financial expertise, are shorter-tenured, and do not have social relationships with senior leaders sit on more board committees. Further analysis shows that information and resource needs are more likely to drive overlapping membership on board monitoring committees, and independent directors with lower information acquisition costs sit on more board committees. The moderating analysis between multilevel factors shows that legalization and the presence of chief risk officers substitute for, while religion and board interlocks complement director-level information and resource needs.