Country Perspective Research Articles

The World Health Organization: Project of novels in the field of controlling international medical sanitary regulations

The article considers draft of new edition of the International Health Regulations. The possible risks associated with changing of the document are evaluated from perspective of member countries, in whose territories occur or supposedly occur emergency situations in field of public health having international importance.

Assessment of the Role of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) In Global Governance: Developing Country's Perspectives

In the world of today, both developed, developing, and underdeveloped countries have realized that they cannot achieve much on their own, hence the need for partnership or collaboration with other countries to achieve set goals. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental economic organisation in which member countries discuss and develop key policy recommendations that often serve as the basis for international standards and practice. The paper will assess the role of the organisation and its impact on global governance. The research is doctrinal and makes use of primary and secondary sources of materials, such as journals, books, and internet materials to x-ray the organisation’s history and development from inception, its roles, and powers etcetera. The paper also considers the challenges faced by the organisation in the discharge of its functions, as well as examines how the organisations’ global governance affects the economy of countries and draws lessons that can positively impact the economy of countries. The paper concludes with some recommendations.

Sustainable Consumption and Production in the European Union—An Attempt to Assess Changes and Convergence from the Perspective of Central and Eastern European Countries

The aim of this paper is to attempt to assess changes in terms of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in the European Union (EU), with particular emphasis on the countries of central and eastern Europe (CEE). So far, relatively little attention has been paid to the analysis of SCP in countries at different levels of development in the literature in this subject area. Even less attention has been paid to the study of the similarity of economies in this respect and the signs of convergence. The basis for assessment is the analysis of dispersion measures, cluster analysis, variance analysis and the construction of a synthetic index. The authors conclude that CEE countries are characterized by a relatively low level of development in terms of SCP compared to the rest of the EU. The signs of σ-convergence and β-convergence can only be identified in terms of “Average CO2 emissions per km from new passenger cars”. It is also the only indicator that significantly differentiates both analyzed clusters. In CEE countries, changes in other SCP indicators were mainly negative (increased adverse environmental impact), and the distance to other EU countries increased. The pandemic was conducive to σ-convergence in terms of “Generation of waste” and β-convergence in terms of “Circular material use rate”, but in 2021, the conditions of gradual easing of pandemic restrictions favored divergence in SCP indicators. The lack of convergence (while reducing the environmental impact) may be a serious problem in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the EU level. The above results were supplemented with a discussion on the causes of the observed situation and recommendations.

공적개발원조 성과관리

In many OECD member countries, including South Korea, Official Development Assistance (ODA) has been steadily increasing. However, criticisms have been raised regarding the limited tangible impact compared to the amount of assistance provided. Hence, there is a growing emphasis on managing ODA outcomes based on the policy validity and sustainability of aid projects and on the importance of project evaluations from the recipient country's perspective. In this study, drawing on prior research, we conceptualized aid quality through sub-factors such as service quality, delivery quality, expectation levels, and social responsibility. We analyzed their effects on aid satisfaction using a structural model. Notably, we incorporated experience in the relevant field and country-specific collaboration experiences as moderating variables to validate the maturity of the aid system. Our findings suggest that social responsibility and expectation levels positively influence aid satisfaction. Conversely, experience in the relevant field and collaboration experience in specific countries showed significant impact only in certain paths. These results indicate the necessity of meeting expectation levels and fulfilling social responsibilities to enhance aid satisfaction. Furthermore, there's a demand for a sustainable management system that elucidates the causal relationships between aid environment and influencing factors and evaluates outcomes from the beneficiary country's viewpoint.

Drivers of Sustainable Green Finance: Country’s Level Risk and Trade Perspective for OECD Countries

In contemporary times, developed economies are adopting environmentally friendly initiatives such as green finance and energy efficiency. However, the factors affecting energy efficiency are widely explored, and green finance remains overlooked in the empirical literature. The present research examines the drivers of sustainable green finance in OECD economies during 2004–2021. The study uses several panel diagnostic tests and validates the mixed integration order of the variables. Still, the long-run equilibrium relationship is valid between financial inclusion, energy efficiency, human capital, foreign trade, composite risk, and green finance. Using panel autoregressive distributed lag model, the study found that financial inclusion, energy efficiency, foreign trade, and composite risk significantly improve green finance in the long run. However, only energy efficiency is effective in the short run. On the other hand, human capital exhibits a significant adverse influence on green finance. The long-run results are robust due to the significant estimates offered by panel dynamic ordinary least square. Besides, there exist one-way and two-way causal associations between variables. The study recommends improving the financial sector performance to enhance financial inclusivity, increase investment in the energy efficiency sector, and encourage trade in environmentally friendly initiatives.

Implications of algorithmic management on careers and employment relationships in the gig economy – a developing country perspective

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the implications of algorithmic management on careers and employment relationships in the Nigerian gig economy. Specifically, drawing on labour process theory (LPT), this study provides an understanding of the production relations beyond the “traditional standard” to “nonstandard” forms of employment in a gig economy mediated by digital platforms or digital forms of work, especially on ride-hailing platforms (Uber and Bolt).Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted the interpretive qualitative approach and a semi-structured interview of 49 participants, including 46 platform drivers and 3 platform managers from Uber and Bolt.FindingsThis study addresses the theoretical underpinnings of the LPT as it relates to algorithmic management and control in the digital platform economy. The study revealed that, despite the ultra-precarious working conditions and persistent uncertainty in employment relations under algorithmic management, the underlying key factors that motivate workers to engage in digital platform work include higher job flexibility and autonomy, as well as having a source of income. This study captured the human-digital interface and labour processes related to digital platform work in Nigeria. Findings of this study also revealed that algorithmic management enables a transactional exchange between platform providers and drivers, while relational exchanges occur between drivers and customers/passengers. Finally, this study highlighted the perceived impact of algorithmic management on the attitude and performance of workers.Originality/valueThe research presents an interesting case study to investigate the influence of algorithmic management and labour processes on employment relationships in the largest emerging economy in Africa.

Financial Technology Issues from Developing Countries Perspective: Role and Challenges a Systematic Literature Review

This article aims to explain the acceptance of the use of financial technology based on the perspective of developing countries. The ease of obtaining financial services has an impact on the development of financial services business from traditional to financial technology based. The development of financial technology has changed the way and attitude of the public in conducting financial transactions. However, the potential benefits of technology-based financial services have not been fully adopted simultaneously, especially in developing countries. This is due to several conditions both related to demographics and socio-culture which result in different perspectives on financial technology. 31 papers were found to be pertinent to the study topic “explain the role and challenges in the adoption of financial technology in developing countries” after 215 asticles had been chosen.

The Interplay Between Supplier Management Practices and Customer Satisfaction: An Empirical Investigation of the Banking Industry in a Developing Country

The study aims to investigate the interplay among supplier quality management (SQM), supplier relationship practices (SRP), process management (PRM), and customer focus (CF) within the value chain of the banking industry in a developing country perspective and to identify how these factors influence customer satisfaction (CS). Empirical data have been collected through a structured questionnaire from 463 bank employees of a developing country using a nonprobability convenience sampling strategy. The study employs a structural equation modeling approach to analyze the relationship between endogenous and exogenous variables. The study finds that SRP, PRM, and CF have a significant positive influence over CS. It also highlights that SQM has a significant positive relationship with the SRP and PRM. The study reveals that PRM mediates the relationship partially between SQM & CF and SQM & CS. Further, CF mediates the relationship partially between PRM and CS, while SRP mediates the relationship partially between SQM and CS. The findings of this research provide valuable insight into the stakeholders associated with the banking sector and policymakers regarding the importance of supplier management practices, particularly enabling the banks of emerging economies to understand the influence of SQM and SRP on guiding PRM, CF, and CS. The study only focuses on one developing country perspective and one specific industry, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. Future research could expand the scope to include multiple developing countries and industries to validate the findings and investigate the moderating effect of contextual factors on the relationships between SQM, SRP, PRM, CF, and CS.

Baltic States Cyber Security Policy: Development of digital capabilities in 2017-2022

Background The Baltic Sea region is currently one of the tensest areas in Europe, with Russia potentially challenging the international order by provoking a new confrontation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In this context, the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are developing their cyber security capabilities, which provides an intriguing example of how small states with an aggressive neighbour can operate. The perceived threat is driving the development of cyber capabilities, and policymakers are prioritizing efforts to strengthen their digital capabilities. Methods This article aims to examine the security challenges faced by the Baltic States in the digital environment and their strategies for enhancing digital capacity building competencies. Additionally, the article focuses on the Baltic States' efforts to build and strengthen cyber capabilities, which serve as the foundation for their cyber security policies. To accomplish this, data from the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) was utilized, employing research methods including quantitative, qualitative, and comparative analyses. This approach aimed to evaluate and compare the progress in digital capabilities among the Baltic States. Additionally, an analysis of strategic documents was conducted to gain insight into each country's perspective on cyber security and to identify opportunities for the development of this field in consideration of available resources. Results The findings emphasize the Baltic states' dedication to bolstering their cyber resilience, primarily motivated by the perceived threat from Russia. The study underscores the intricate relationship between socioeconomic factors and a nation's cyber capabilities. Conclusions The conclusion drawn is that their endeavours to establish and enhance cyber capabilities constitute a pivotal component of their cybersecurity strategy, thus contributing to regional stability and NATO's collective defence.

Drivers and barriers for implementing social sustainability in supply chains: a qualitative investigation of a developing country's multi-tier suppliers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate why multi-tier apparel suppliers integrate social sustainability practices into their supply chains and what barriers these suppliers encounter while embedding social sustainability practices.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative research design, drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with 46 owners and managers from 33 multi-tier apparel suppliers in Bangladesh, an important outsourcing hub for the global apparel industry. To corroborate research findings, the views of owners and managers were triangulated by further interviewing 11 key representatives of institutional actors such as third-party auditors, a donor agency, industry associations, regulatory agencies and a non-governmental organisation (NGO).FindingsThe authors' findings suggest a range of divergent institutional drivers and barriers – coercive, mimetic and normative – that determine the implementation of multi-tier suppliers' social sustainability practices. The key reported drivers were buyers' requirements, external stakeholders' expectations, top management commitment and competition. Conversely, cost and resource concerns and gaps in the regulatory framework were identified as key social sustainability implementation barriers. In particular, owners and managers of second-tier and third-tier supplier firms experienced more internal barriers such as cost and resource concerns than external barriers such as gaps in values, learning and commitment (i.e. compromise for mutual benefit and non-disclosure of non-compliance) that impeded effective social sustainability implementation.Research limitations/implicationsSocial sustainability in supply chain management has received significant attention from academics, business practitioners, governments, NGOs and supranational organisations. However, limited attention has been paid to investigating the drivers and barriers for social sustainability implementation from a developing country's multi-tier supplier perspective. The authors' research has addressed this knowledge gap.Practical implicationsThe evidence from the authors' study provides robust support for key assumptions of institutional theory and has useful implications for both managers and policy-makers.Originality/valueThe authors' study contributes to the embryonic research stream of socially sustainable multi-tier supply chain management by connecting it to the application of institutional theory in a challenging institutional context.

Can Digital Finance Contribute to Agricultural Carbon Reduction? Evidence from China

The existing research covers digital finance’s carbon reduction impacts in industrial and urban settings, however, leaving a gap in understanding its effects in agriculture. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship and mechanism between digital finance and agricultural carbon reduction. Two hypotheses are proposed to guide the study: (1) The development of digital finance could reduce agricultural carbon emissions; (2) The development of digital finance could significantly promote agricultural green innovation, empowering agricultural carbon emission reduction. By employing panel data spanning 31 provinces from 2011 to 2020, we empirically investigate the relationship between digital finance development and a reduction in agricultural carbon emissions. The results indicate that digital financial development significantly reduces agricultural carbon emissions. Mechanism analysis further elucidates the pivotal role of digital finance in facilitating agricultural green innovation, resulting in a decline in agricultural carbon emissions. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of digital finance on agricultural carbon emission reduction is particularly pronounced in regions with higher income levels and greater educational attainment. The study offers empirical evidence on the nexus between digital finance and agricultural carbon emissions, from a developing country perspective. It could provide innovative ideas and experiences from China for global agricultural low-carbon development practices.

Fossil fuels, stranded assets, and the energy transition in the Global South: A systematic literature review

AbstractComplying with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change requires leaving fossil fuels underground (LFFU), which raises justice issues regarding the Global South and its energy transition. The literature is scattered with no review papers on the challenges of LFFU in the Global South, hence we ask: What can be learnt from reviewing the scholarship on the Global South's energy transition, focusing on LFFU and the issue of stranded resources and assets? Our review reveals: (a) renewable investments in the Global South are relatively low for the scale of change needed, and such renewable deployment is more additive than substitutive. Nonetheless, there is potential for the Global South to leapfrog; (b) literature on LFFU in the Global South is limited, and much of it focuses on subsidies. However, developing countries might include stranded assets in their accounting, making LFFU appealing; (c) the Right to Development influences the energy transition's governance and justice issues: limited governance hampers LFFU, while understudied power dynamics shape transition's political economies. However, a global and multilevel just transition may have the potential to achieve LFFU. Thus, the literature overlooks (i) the dilemmas of stranded resources and assets from a developing country perspective and the implications in terms of equity, development, and climate change impacts; and (ii) the underlying power dynamics. Future research should investigate energy leapfrogging viability, critically assess renewables' additive rather than substitutive character in the Global South, and better identify the constraints to an inclusive energy transition, posed by North–South power dynamics and FF incumbents.This article is categorized under: Climate and Development > Social Justice and the Politics of Development

Barriers to vehicle-sharing among NGOs during disaster relief operations: Findings from a developing country's perspective

NGOs (Non-governmental Organizations) are still lagging in adopting the benefits of vehicle-sharing during disaster relief operations. Therefore, the primary objective of this investigation is to scrutinize the impediments that impede the cooperative efforts among NGOs in the context of vehicular resource sharing within the framework of disaster relief operations. The idea is to enhance relief operations' transport capacity, reduce pollution and congestion, and benefit the total environment without increasing the number of vehicles. In order to study this little-known area of research, an exploratory study is conducted by interviewing experts (i.e., those responsible for administering relief distributions) from both local and international NGOs in a regularly disaster-troubled developing country, Bangladesh. Using the innovation resistance theory, this study examines and categorizes a list of potential important barriers. In this study, various types of barriers are identified based on the innovation resistance theory. These barriers are categorized into five groups, including risk (consisting of 10 barriers), usage (comprising of 7 barriers), tradition (including 4 barriers), value (comprised of 2 barriers), and image (consisting of 1 barrier). Accordingly, vehicle-sharing is linked with many potential side-effects or uncertainties, as the majority of the identified barriers are connected to risks. It is also worth noting that certain vehicle-sharing barriers, which may seem crucial, can be addressed for better outcomes. For example, a strategy could be to communicate potential legal barriers and predetermine accountability for possible accidents. The research outcomes also suggest that the implementation of a vehicle-sharing initiative within the realm of disaster relief operations is susceptible to a multitude of intricate and technically oriented usage challenges that are inherently unavoidable. Notable among these issues are the physical characteristics of the vehicles, the potential for complications arising from the commingling of similar relief items, instances of vehicular overloading, and encounters with roadblocks along the designated routes. The findings have implications for HOs (Humanitarian Organizations), logistics service providers, as well as disaster preparedness, response, and recovery professionals.

Study on the structural characteristics of China's high-speed railway network and its coordination with economic growth based on Fractal theory

As one of the modern transportation modes, the high-speed railway network system has been a robust part of the comprehensive transportation system in China. An important topic emerges the exploration and optimization of its structural organization and coordinated relationship with the regional development, including urban form, land use, and economy. Therefore, supported by the integration of geographical information system (GIS) and fractal theory, this paper aims to carry out an investigation and discussion on the structural characteristics, including intensity (density), complexity, nonstationarity, and heterogeneity of the high-speed railway network in China (HSRNC) from the perspective of the whole country and specific regions, i.e., urban agglomerations. Moreover, based on the time-series data of network mileage expansion and economic output analysis, this study aims to evaluate and characterize the coordinated relationships between network development and economic growth in the context of the nationwide area and urban agglomerations. This study aims to explore and promote the spatial structural organization and morphology of the high-speed railway network in China, thus improving the coordinated development with the regional economic growth, for giving a new perspective to the future planning and evolution of the high-speed railway network in China.

Loss and damage from the perspective of vulnerable countries

Loss and damage from the perspective of vulnerable countries

Customs Duty Evasion: Consequences and Suggestions: The GCC Countries Perspective

Customs duty has existed in Gulf Countries for over a century. In 2002, it took its institutional form by implementing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Common Customs Law. Since then, customs duty evasion has been a problem for GCC governments and companies. Customs authorities continuously audit and eliminate such illegal activities by imposing penalties and taking necessary actions within the provisions of the law. This article highlights various customs offences, including false origin, incorrect tariff classification, under-declaration of customs valuation, and lack of inventory reconciliation leading toward smuggling. The article also highlights the consequences faced by businesses involved in such illegal activities. To combat and eliminate these offences during import/export procedures, the paper proposes some suggestions to companies, which will eventually help them avoid the administrative burden and financial and reputational loss resulting from such frauds. Customs duty evasion, Penalties, Smuggling, Origin, Valuation, Tariff Classification, Inventory reconciliation, Voluntary disclosure, GCC countries

Engaging customers through satisfaction; does social media marketing and perceived innovativeness really matter? A time-lagged study in the hospitality industry

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to address the issue of customer engagement faced by the hospitality industry. By employing the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model and engagement theory, this study investigates the influence of social media marketing (SMM) and consumers' perceived innovativeness on customer engagement. Additionally, it explores the mediating role of customer satisfaction. Lastly, it examines the moderating effect of service convenience between customer satisfaction and customer engagement.Design/methodology/approachThis study is quantitative in nature. Data were collected through surveys using a three-wave time-lagged design from 564 consumers of various restaurants.FindingsThe findings reveal that SMM did not directly impact customer engagement; however, it showed a full mediation through customer satisfaction. Perceived innovativeness showed a significant relationship with customer engagement both directly and indirectly. Service convenience also showed significant moderation.Practical implicationsThe study is useful for the hospitality managers and the restaurant industry as a whole in facilitating memorable customer experiences in order engage them for longer time periods. This study would also help give other firms in the service sector a direction to better engage with their customers.Originality/valueThis study by investigating the unique framework produces the useful information for hospitality managers, policy makers and contributes to the body of knowledge from a developing country's perspective. Testification of S-O-R model and engagement theory are also significant theoretical contributions.

FDI and the Evolution of Directed Technological Progress Bias: New Evidence from Korean Outward Investment

Purpose - Southeast Asia has been the focus of Korea's foreign investment. Korea has been helping developing countries in Southeast Asia achieve economic growth and win-win cooperation through capital exports. FDI is an important channel for technology diffusion. However, the impact of FDI on the bias of technological progress in the host country is dependent on the host country's own endowment structure and capital-labor factor substitution elasticity. Therefore, the central issue of this paper is to accurately evaluate the impact of Korea's FDI to the four Southeast Asian countries in various industries on their bias of technological progress.
 Design/methodology - The paper uses macroeconomic data for Korea and four East Asian countries to estimate capital-labor factor elasticities of substitution using nonlinear, seemingly uncorrelated regressions (NLSUR). Then, the biased technological change index (BTCI) is calculated for each country. Finally, panel data analysis is used to explore the impact of Korean FDI in various industries in the four Southeast Asian countries on their own directed technological progress, and a robustness test is conducted.
 Findings - There is a substitution relationship between capital and labor factors based on their elasticity in Korea, Singapore and the Philippines. There is a complementary relationship between capital and labor factors in Indonesia and Malaysia. According to the BTCI, there is a trend toward labor-biased technological progress in all countries. Korean investments in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade in the host country trigger capital-biased technological change in the host country; investments in the finance, insurance and information and communication sectors trigger labor- biased technological change. In addition, this paper also confirms that directed technological progress can enable cross-country transmission.
 Originality/value - The innovation of this paper lies in three aspects. First, we estimate the BTCI for five countries and explore the trend and situation of directed technological progress in each country from each country's own perspective. Second, we explore the impact of Korean FDI in the host country on the bias to its technological progress at the industry level. Second, we explore the impact of Korean FDI in various industries in the four Southeast Asian countries on the four countries' own directed technological progress from a national perspective. Finally, we propose corresponding countermea- sures for technological progress from the perspective of inverse factor endowment. These innovative points not only expand the understanding of technological progress and cross-country technology transfer in East Asia but also provide practical references for policy-makers and business operators.

Impact of Digital Economy on China's Services Trade Competitiveness

With the global spread of the new coronavirus epidemic, international trade has been greatly hindered. However, the rapid development of the digital economy has improved the efficiency of financial services and government governance, providing new solutions and perspectives for countries to develop service trade. Therefore, this paper uses the macro panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2020 and the system GMM model to empirically test the impact of digital economy on the competitiveness of service trade from the perspective of financial development and government governance. This paper finds that the development of the digital economy can promote the progress of financial industry and strengthen the level of government governance so as to enhance the competitiveness of service trade; that is, financial development and government governance have mediating effects. Based on the above results, the author proposes to deepen the digital transformation of government governance, deepen the digital reform of financial services and promote the process of digital legal supervision.

Social entrepreneurship in sport: a peripheral country perspective.

For the past decade, scholars have been working towards developing a robust theory of social entrepreneurship in sport (SES). However, SES theory remains void of peripheral country perspectives and thus perpetuates the Eurocentric views of entrepreneurship. This paper used a decolonial feminist lens and Whittemore and Knafl's methodology to conduct an integrated review of SES literature written in or about a peripheral country context. The review examined how scholarship from and about this context had considered geographical and culturally specific perspectives in the development of SES theory. A total of n = 1971 papers were retrieved, with only n = 12 providing relevant peripheral country context. This scarcity of literature indicates that the current theory of SES lacks peripheral country perspectives. Many papers in this review (n = 5) are written by authors in or from a peripheral country. Their contributions to SES literature revealed the decolonial feminist approaches that centralize alternative perspectives and added plurality to the definition of SES. The findings revealed the nuanced theoretical approaches to SES and highlighted the gaps in this context. The review shows how, despite the rise in social enterprises that focus on gender equity and the economic inclusion of women, gendered studies were still very scarce.