Disparities In Ownership Research Articles

Does capitalism disfavor women? Evidence from life satisfaction

AbstractThere is concern, especially in certain feminist circles, that capitalism disfavors women. This could take many forms, for example, lower wages for the same work, reduced career opportunities, disparities in ownership, and the upholding of traditional gender roles, and it could result in capitalism conferring more life satisfaction on men than on women. We test empirically whether this concern is justified. Using the epidemiological approach to rule out reverse causality, we first confirm previous findings that most areas of economic freedom (legal quality in particular, but also monetary stability, openness, and regulation) are beneficial for general life satisfaction. When looking at women and men separately, we find virtually no statistically significant differences, and in the cases we do, the estimates reveal a more beneficial outcome for women. Hence, we conclude that capitalism does not seem to favor men more than women in terms of life satisfaction.

SERTIFIKASI KELAPA SAWIT DAN PENGEMBANGAN EKONOMI BERKELANJUTAN: STUDY LITERATUR REVIEW

The palm oil industry has experienced significant growth in recent decades. Disparities in ownership and profit sharing are one of the main problems in the palm oil industry today. Even though the industry employs millions of people, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, many palm oil farmers who comply with Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) still struggle to earn decent money. This is due to low demand for VSS compliant palm oil and minimum prices or premiums. The method used in this research is descriptive bibliometric analysis using Vosviewer 1.6.19 software. Data collection was carried out through searching publications indexed by Scopus. The results of this research can illustrate future palm oil certification studies by paying attention to the economic development aspects of the implementation and application of palm oil certification

Black Women-Owned Businesses: High-Level Growth Disparity

This study explores the alarming disproportion of Black women-owned businesses achieving high growth, profitability, and sustainability compared to their White counterparts. Investigating the issue is vital because these businesses are the fastest-growing population of entrepreneurs in the United States, yet they struggle to survive. Black female companies are important because they can significantly stimulate the economy, introduce innovative and niche products to markets, create jobs, reinvest in their communities, build generational wealth, and close the business ownership disparity gap. The sample was 100 black female business owners. The instrumentation was an open-ended survey, and the framework was empirical probability.

Examining Disparities in Ownership and Use of Digital Health Technology Between Rural and Urban Adults in the US: An Analysis of the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey.

Although research shows that digital health tools (DHT) are increasingly integrated with healthcare in the United States, very few studies have investigated the rural-urban differences in DHTadoption at the national level.Individuals in rural communities experience disproportionately greater rates of chronic diseases and face unique challenges in accessing health care. Studies have shown that digital technology can improve access and support rural health by overcoming geographic barriers to care. To evaluate the rates of ownership and preferences for utilization of DHT as a measure of interest among rural adults compared to their urban counterparts in the United States using a National Inpatient Survey. Data was drawn from the 2019 (n= 5438) iteration of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5 cycle 3). Chi-square tests and weighted multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine rural-urban differences regarding ownership, usage, and use of digital health tools to interact with health care systems while adjusting for health-related characteristics andsociodemographic factors. The ownership rates of digital health technology (DHT) devices, including tablets, smart phones, health apps, and wearable devices, were comparable between rural and urban residents. For tablets, the ownership rates were 54.52% among rural residents and 60.24% among urban residents, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.87 (95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.61, 1.24). The ownership rates of health apps were 51.41% and 53.35% among rural and urban residents, respectively, with an adjusted OR of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.62, 1.42). For smartphones, the ownership rates were 81.64% among rural residents and 84.10% among urban residents, with an adjusted OR of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.11). Additionally, rural residents were equally likely to use DHT in managing their healthcare needs.Both groups were equally likely to have reported their smart device as helpful in discussions with their healthcare providers (OR 0.90; 95% CI 63 - 1.30; p = 0.572). Similarly, there were similar odds of reporting that DHT had helped them to track progress on a health-related goal (e.g., quitting smoking, losing weight, or increasing physical activity) (OR 1.17; 95% CI 0.75 - 1.83; p = 0.491), and to make medical decisions (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.70 - 1.59; p = 0.797).However, they had lower rates of internet access and were less likely to use DHT for communicating with their healthcare providers. We found that rural residents are equally likely as urban residents to own and use DHT to manage their health. However, they were less likely to communicate with their health providers using DHT. With increasing use of DHT in healthcare, future research that targets reasons for geographical digital access disparities is warranted.

Does livestock help in compensating land inequalities in rural India: Evidencesfrom agricultural census?

Using data of various rounds of Agricultural Census, the study has revealed that rural inequalities are largely attributed to disparities in ownership of land leading to unequal distribution of income. Land inequalities during various rounds among various farmer categories have remained almost constant with minor fluctuations, whereas inequalities in ownership of various livestock such as cattle, buffalo, horse and pony have reduced drastically. The extent of land inequalties is also found to be much larger than livestock inequalties. Small size of operated area among marginal and small cultivators is compensated by ownership of cattle and buffalo, which helps to mitigate inequalities caused by land. The study concludes that government policies should be targeted at strengthening sustained development of livestock activities, which can go a long way in mitigating land inequalities and removing agrarian distress.

Are There Gender Differences in Sustainable Entrepreneurship Indicators Amongst SMEs in South Africa? Application of MANOVA

In addition to the contributions and relevance of entrepreneurship activities to economic growth and development of countries, various factors have equally been advanced as responsible for the success stories of entrepreneurship sustainability worldwide. However, the influence of success factors on gender ownership of entrepreneurship activities is a relatively new aspect in the field of research that has not gained much academic attention in the literature especially in South Africa. This debate is so important in the face of the various agitations for equal participation of women and the inconclusive debate that women are better managers of business enterprises. In this article, using the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) technique, we examined the extent to which sustainable entrepreneurship indicators (finance, social and environmental) account for any disparity in gender ownership and management of business enterprises in South Africa. A stratified sampling method was adopted for the survey. Our analytical technique (MANOVA) created a new summary dependent variable, which is a linear combination of each of our original dependent variables. Confidence intervals of 95% and margins of error (3%) were used to validate the results. Findings indicate that the only difference that exists as per gender ownership disparity is around financial resources. There is therefore a need to realign programmes and policies to reduce this gendered inequality.

Does tunneling explain the sensitivity of executive compensation to other member firms’ performance?

AbstractThis study examines how executive compensation is set when a firm is a business group member. Using Korea's unique setting of family‐controlled business groups, we find that a member firm's executive cash compensation is positively linked to the stock performance of other member firms as well as its own. Further analyses reveal that this positive link is consistent with the hypothesis that corporate managers are rewarded for their decision to benefit the controlling family at the expense of the firm they manage. Specifically, we find that the sensitivity of executive pay to other member firms’ performance exists only in respect to firms in which the cash flow rights of the controlling family exceed those of the subject firm. We also find that this sensitivity is strengthened if the controlling family's control–ownership disparity in the subject firm is above the sample median.

GENDER ANALYSIS OF ASSET INEQUALITIES WITHIN RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

This article examines the evidence available on the distribution of assets by gender in rural households in Ogun State, Nigeria. One of the contributions of feminist economics has been to demonstrate that household and individual welfare are not necessarily the same. Relatively very little work has been done to show gender disparity in ownership of assets in rural Nigeria though gender asset distribution have been found to impact household decisions, women’s wellbeing and poverty alleviation. Primary data was collected from a total of 260 households selected through a multistage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study finds that an average rural household in the sample was made up of six persons and households were predominantly headed by males (88%). The mean worth of households’ physical assets was ₦ 1,218,308.20, about 15% of which was owned by women. Based on these findings the study recommends that the economic situation of women should be enhanced by promoting their access to productive assets through indigenous savings, credit associations and micro financing. This will enable our society attain the sustainable development goals of gender equality and maternal wellbeing.
 
 

Socio-economic and demographic disparities in ownership and use of insecticide-treated bed nets for preventing malaria among rural reproductive-aged women in northern Ghana.

BackgroundMalaria continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) is one of the cost-effective interventions for preventing malaria in endemic settings. Ghana has made tremendous efforts to ensure widespread ownership and use of ITNs. However, national coverage statistics can mask important inequities that demand targeted attention. This study assesses the disparities in ownership and utilization of ITNs among reproductive-aged women in a rural impoverished setting of Ghana.MethodsPopulation-based cross-sectional data of 3,993 women between the age of 15 and 49 years were collected in seven districts of the Upper East region of Ghana using a two-stage cluster sampling approach. Bivariate and multivariate regression models were used to assess the social, economic and demographic disparities in ownership and utilization of ITN and to compare utilization rates among women in households owning at least one ITN.ResultsAs high as 79% of respondents were found to own ITN while 62% of ITN owners used them the night preceding the survey. We identified disparities in both ownership and utilization of ITNs in wealth index, occupational status, religion, and district of residence. Respondents in the relative richest wealth quintile were 74% more likely to own ITNs compared to those in the poorest quintile (p-value< 0.001, CI = 1.29–2.34) however, they were 33% less likely to use ITNs compared to the poorest (p-value = 0.01, CI = 0.50–0.91).ConclusionInterventions aimed at preventing and controlling malaria through the use of bed nets in rural Ghana and other similar settings should give more attention to disadvantage populations such as the poor and unemployed. Tailored massages and educational campaigns are required to ensure consistent use of treated bed nets.

The Contemporary Agrarian Change in Rice Production Village in Klaten Regency, Central Java

Rural Java areas underwent significant changes during the last 20 years due to increasing education and health level and improving transportation and communication infrastructure, but researches on agricultural transformation, especially rice farming in Java, was limited. This study aimed at understanding the structure of land ownership and tenure, and the changing of land tenure institutional system in wetland farming, in its relation to the contemporary demographic change in the Javanese rural areas. The research was conducted in Kauman Village, Klaten Regency, Central Java. There were 307 farmer households in the village. The samples of 52 farmer households were taken randomly. Data collection used questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 52 respondents and 6 key informants. The analysis was carried out by comparing the data before the green revolution and 2016 data. The results of the study were as follows. Firstly, the number of landless farmers was very large (60 percent). Despite the green revolution, the proportion of this group had been already high before the green revolution program was intensified. Secondly, the level of land ownership disparity was moderate and tended toward equity due to the continuity of land ownership fragmentation through land inheritance processes, and no land ownership concentration occurred on the basis of agricultural land purchase. Thirdly, the level of inequality of land tenure was moderate and even close to low, and tended toward equity as the number of land tenants was much greater than the land owners. Fourthly, the bargaining position of the land tenants tended to be stronger than the land owners due to the declining attraction of agricultural work as a source of employment.

Disparities in Ownership of Household Assets among the Tribal Households in Himachal Pradesh

This paper was an attempt to analyse the distribution pattern of household assets and to assess the existing level of disparities in the ownership of household assets among the tribal households in Himachal Pradesh. For this purpose, the firsthand information is collected from 439 tribal households from all the seven community development block constituting the tribal belt of Himachal Pradesh with the help of multistage random sampling during 2013–14. The results showed that the value of household assets showed an increasing tendency with an increase in the size of holdings. The analysis highlighted that the distribution of the household assets among the tribal population in Himachal Pradesh is highly skewed and the disparities in the distribution of household assets are showing an increasing tendency with an increase in the size of land holdings. This paper will be helpful in carrying out further extensive analysis and showing a way to reduce the existing disparities in asset distribution in Himachal Pradesh.

Business Groups and Corporate Social Responsibility

There is a growing literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR), but few have focused on the implications of business groups for CSR. We examine the antecedents and outcomes of CSR behaviors of group firms in Korea. We find that group affiliation is associated with higher CSR overall and for its major societal and environmental components. However, the ownership disparity between cash flow and control by controlling inside shareholders is associated with lower CSR, consistent with opportunistic rent expropriation theory. We further find that CSR initiatives can impact group firms positively in the event of bad events, consistent with insurance theory. This motive for CSR as a means of enhancing reputation capital to buffer the bad events is pronounced for group firms because of group-wide dissemination of negative reputational externality.

The impact of ownership structure on earnings quality: the case of South Korea

This paper investigates the impact of business group ownership structure on the quality of earnings reporting using data from South Korea. In addition, we investigate the impact of ownership disparity and family ownership on earnings quality reporting. Using a self-constructed earnings quality index as a measure of earnings quality, we found that business group ownership structure is significantly associated with higher earnings quality. The result suggests that strong monitoring mechanisms introduced by the government, which are necessary for credibility in external financial markets and beneficial to business group reputation, led to increased transparency in earnings reports. We also found that disparity in ownership between control and cash flow rights in firms, as well as family ownership in group firms, was both associated with lower earnings quality.

Impact of Excess Control, Ownership Structure and Corporate Governance on Firm Performance of Diversified Group Firms in Pakistan

This paper attempts to explore the effect of excess control, ownership structure and corporate governance on firm performance in Pakistan. The study takes a sample of 184 non-financial sectors' group firms listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) covering a period from 2004 to 2012. The multiple regression models are applied using panel data framework to test the significance of relationship. The results are consistent with the findings of the prior studies conducted in both advanced and emerging economies. The results show that firm ownership is a strong influential factor in affecting firm performance in Pakistan. Both inside ownership and ownership concentration are negatively related to firm performance consistent with divergence of interest effect and entrenchment effect. However, inside ownership squared is strongly positively related to firm performance indicating that inside ownership beyond a certain threshold level started to influence firm performance positively consistent with incentives effect. Ownership disparity affects strongly negatively the financial performance of group firms consistent with the divergence of interest effect. Institutional ownership contributes positively towards firm performance. Noticeably, board independence and outside block holdings play a significantly positive role in affecting financial performance of the group firms in Pakistan. The results show strong evidence that ultimate controllers in group firms use complex ownership and pyramidal structures to extend their ultimate control over many firms with least cash flow rights. The higher the divergence between ownership and control, the greater the potential of the ultimate controllers exerted their entrenched behavior in group firms. These results highlight the internal corporate governance problems faced by the group firms and suggest the need for strengthening the corporate governance mechanism in Pakistan.

Current Status and Key Trends in Agricultural Land Holding and Distribution in Punjab, Pakistan: Implications for Food Security

The economy of Pakistan is mainly dependent on agriculture which is mainly owned by small farm householders. The rapidly increasing population and stagnant agricultural growth coupled with other economic issues are threatening food security and livelihood of rural population in Pakistan. The main objective of the study was to appraise the change in the agrarian structure in Punjab province and to see the current status and key trends in land holing and distribution. It is done by reviewing of the overtime structural changes in land holdings using inter-census data of 1960-2010 t enabled the present analyses to depict a clear picture of the overtime changes that had come about in the agrarian structure of Punjab. The magnitude of shifts from one period to the other was calculated with the help of Lorenz ratio and Gini coefficient. The study showed disparities in ownership and distribution of land holdings in Punjab. The findings suggested a decrease in inequality in land distribution through effective land reform and distribution. This will help to increase farm income of small-scale and subsistence farming communities to cater for the threatening issues of food insecurity.

The Effect of Control–Ownership Disparity on Cost Stickiness

Purpose - If control-ownership disparity is large, managers will not actively reduce costs; rather, they will maintain unutilized resources or possess...

The Value of Cash Holdings, Corporate Governance and Ownership Disparity: Evidence from Korean Conglomerates

This study examines the impacts of business group affiliation, ownership disparity, and corporate governance on cash holdings and the value of excess cash of firms, using business group data from Korea, where such organizations are called “chaebols.” We find that Korean chaebol-affiliated firms have lower (higher) cash holdings (value of excess cash) compared to non-chaebol-affiliated firms; however, ownership disparity increases (decreases) cash holdings (value of excess cash) in chaebol firms. Furthermore, corporate governance enhances the value of excess cash and alleviates the negative effect of the ownership disparity in cash value for chaebol firms.

Control–ownership Disparity and Business Performance: A Study of Korean Firms

In Korea, there is a large disparity between voting and cash flow rights (control–ownership disparity). Using firm‐level data from Korea for the 2004–2009 period, the present study examines whether control–ownership disparity influenced firm performance. Specifically, the study analyzes whether the effects of control–ownership disparity on firm performance vary according to the type of firm (publicly traded vs private firms) and to the major shareholder's ownership stake (greater than 50 percent vs less than or equal to 50 percent). According to the results, the negative effect of control–ownership disparity on firm performance was weaker for publicly traded firms, and control–ownership disparity had a negative effect on firm performance when the major shareholder's ownership stake exceeded 50 percent.

Does corporate governance risk at home affect investment choices abroad?

Disparity between control and ownership rights gives rise to the risk of tunneling by the controlling shareholder, and is prevalent in many emerging market economies and present in some developed countries. At the same time, international investors come from different countries whose home markets are characterized by varying degrees of control–ownership disparity. This paper studies whether this difference in investors' home countries affects their portfolio choice in an emerging market. It combines two unique data sets on ownership and control in business groups, and investor-stock level foreign investment in Korea. A key finding is that investors from low-disparity countries disfavor high-disparity stocks in Korea, but investors from high-disparity countries are indifferent. Moreover, investors from low-disparity countries became averse to disparity only after the Asian financial crisis. These results suggest that the nature of corporate governance in international investors' home countries affects their portfolio choice abroad, and therefore these investors should not be lumped together in the analyses of their portfolio choice.

Comparison of two approaches for measuring household wealth via an asset-based index in rural and peri-urban settings of Hunan province, China

BackgroundThere are growing concerns regarding inequities in health, with poverty being an important determinant of health as well as a product of health status. Within the People's Republic of China (P.R. China), disparities in socio-economic position are apparent, with the rural-urban gap of particular concern. Our aim was to compare direct and proxy methods of estimating household wealth in a rural and a peri-urban setting of Hunan province, P.R. China.MethodsWe collected data on ownership of household durable assets, housing characteristics, and utility and sanitation variables in two village-wide surveys in Hunan province. We employed principal components analysis (PCA) and principal axis factoring (PAF) to generate household asset-based proxy wealth indices. Households were grouped into quartiles, from 'most wealthy' to 'most poor'. We compared the estimated household wealth for each approach. Asset-based proxy wealth indices were compared to those based on self-reported average annual income and savings at the household level.ResultsSpearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that PCA and PAF yielded similar results, indicating that either approach may be used for estimating household wealth. In both settings investigated, the two indices were significantly associated with self-reported average annual income and combined income and savings, but not with savings alone. However, low correlation coefficients between the proxy and direct measures of wealth indicated that they are not complementary. We found wide disparities in ownership of household durable assets, and utility and sanitation variables, within and between settings.ConclusionPCA and PAF yielded almost identical results and generated robust proxy wealth indices and categories. Pooled data from the rural and peri-urban settings highlighted structural differences in wealth, most likely a result of localized urbanization and modernization. Further research is needed to improve measurements of wealth in low-income and transitional country contexts.