Sole Owner Research Articles

Women's Ownership and Access: Effects on Intra-Household Decisions

We examine the effect of women’s ownership of, and access to resources (economic autonomy) on their relative decision-making power in households using an Instrumental Variable/Fixed effects approach. Neighboring women’s exposure to different forms of media is utilized as a source of exogenous variation to identify this effect. While we find strong causal impacts of greater economic autonomy on their relative position in decision-making, there is evidence of a diminishing marginal effect of autonomy. Exploring the components of relative decision-making power and autonomy further, we suggest that sole ownership of financial assets rather than physical assets are the main drivers of economic autonomy for women, resulting in changes in their bargaining positions. These effects are highlighted for older women; unemployed women; women more educated than their husbands; and in rural areas. Our results are robust to a number of econometric concerns.

ГЕНДЕРНІ АСПЕКТИ ЛІДЕРСТВА В МАЛОМУ ПІДПРИЄМНИЦТВІ УКРАЇНИ

Стаття присвячена аналітичному огляду шляхів гармонізації ґендерних процесів. У фокусі дослідження перебувають проблеми жіночого підприємництва в Україні. Аргументовано, що розвиток економіки забезпечується реальними економічними суб’єктами з їхніми стратегіями поведінки, мотивами, цінностями, а відхід від «безстатевої економіки» може наблизити до більш адекватного відображення реальних суспільних процесів. Представлено статистичні показники, що засвідчують динамічне інтегрування жінок у сферу малого підприємництва. Проаналізовано регіональні розбіжності щодо частки жінок та чоловіків у малому бізнесі. Продемонстровано показники, що характеризують реальний стан розвитку жіночого малого підприємництва у Хмельницькій області, та запропоновано стратегічні завдання для його подальшого розвитку.

Impact of corona crisis on SMEs in the Slovak Republic

The current situation related to the spread of coronavirus in Slovakia is a burdensome test for everyone. Its effects will be felt mostly by entrepreneurs from the category of small and medium-sized enterprises and sole proprietors. Small and medium-sized en-terprises are a pillar of the Slovak economy. The aim of the article is to point out the initial impacts of corona crisis on SMEs in the Slovak Republic and to propose me-asures to mitigate its negative consequences. We present that 8.9% of entrepreneurs out of all active small and medium-sized enterprises had to close their operations in a peri-od of extraordinary situation. Even the part of entrepreneurs who continued in their activities and have not closed operations (57%) has a big problem with the declining demand for their products and services.

ASSISTED EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-EMLOPYMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

He aim of this study is to present legal regulations concerning professional activation of disabled people. In the Polish legal system there are various forms of support for professional activation of people with disabilities, starting from taking up employment by a disabled person in a sheltered workplace, hospital, university, offi ce or company run in the form of a sole proprietorship. Professional activation and reduction of unemployment among disabled people remains a challenge. People with disabilities are often isolated in the labour market, which contributes to the deterioration of their living conditions. The problem of professional activation can and should be considered from two perspectives: employment and self-employment. The paper presents various types of instruments that can be used in the process of professional activation of people with disabilities.

Structure and performance of the Italian alpine “core”: a counterfactual analysis

Purpose The competitiveness of the Alpine regions is strongly influenced by environmental constraints and its relationship with the urban network in the valley floor, which cannot be one of pure dependence. This study aims to analyse the health of the Italian Alpine economy through the performance of its capital companies, defined as those operating in the strictly mountainous are-as within the territories covered by the Alpine Convention. The authors compare the performance (2012-2018) of the “inner core” firms with a counterfactual sample of companies from neighbouring territories to delineate the strengths and weaknesses of the Alpine enterprises. The paper addresses policymakers and practitioners who will design the future policies for the high lands, exploiting a vast collaborative planning network. Design/methodology/approach The study analyses two broad strands of literature on territorial competitiveness. It uses the coarsened exact matching techniques for the selection of a counterfactual sample at the enterprise level. The study follows a policy-oriented design, offering answers to future challenges. Findings The Alpine region has several different local production systems, with a significant level of heterogeneity among firms that differentiate the top 25% from the rest. The counterfactual analysis carried out does not provide clear evidence of significant differences. Instead, it con-firms strong similarities between the Alpine core and the peri-Alpine belt. It is only in terms of employment growth that the core grows less (with a high statistical significance). Finally, the authors introduce the analysis of sustainable value added (SVA) in the core area and use the “tourism chain” to compare different models. The focus here is on two keywords – rarefied and uncontaminated – that enable the transformation of some typical weaknesses of the “minor (or marginal) mountain” into assets for development, provided that place-based and network policies are activated. Research limitations/implications The study focusses on the Italian Alps and could be extended in the future to the other countries participating in the Alpine Convention. It may also be enriched by qualitative analyses of partnerships and sole proprietorships that are not identified by the balance sheet analysis. Practical implications The study follows a policy-oriented design, offering possible solutions to future challenges. Social implications The study offers some suggestions on the post-COVID-19 phase. The bottom-up, reluctant and community dimension are possible strengths to face the challenges that are opening up. Originality/value The study is one of the very few to carry out a counterfactual analysis of Alpine enterprises. It offers evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of the productive fabric of the high lands and updates the assessment of the health status of Alpine enterprises to accompany future fact-based policies after the COVID pandemic.

Analysis of the Comparative Efficiency of Public and Private Companies in the Oil Industry

In recent years, several competing trends have been observed in the world. On the one hand, the private sector is expanding in multiple countries, and the number of small enterprises, sole proprietors, and the self-employed is growing. On the other hand, there is a clear trend of globalization of public companies and their transformation into transnational state corporations. This trend is typical not only for developing countries, such as China, Russia, Brazil, and India, but also for countries with developed economies such as Norway, France, Italy, and South Korea. Most transnational state corporations are concentrated in the energy sector: nuclear industry, oil production and processing, transportation of oil, gas, and petroleum products. Aim . The presented study aims to comparatively analyze the activities of public and private oil companies in Russia and globally. Tasks. The authors determine the degree of compliance of Russian companies with the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the corporate governance of public enterprises and identify the most efficient companies in the subject industry to determine the components of their efficiency and to develop a management benchmark based on them. Results . The analysis of variance reveals a correlation between this parameter and the indicators of economic development of a public enterprise - revenue and EBITDA. DEA methodology is used to conduct a two-stage analysis of the comparative efficiency of the largest oil companies. At the first stage, the most efficient companies in the Russian oil industry are identified. At the second stage, Russian companies are compared with the largest oil companies in the United States, Great Britain, China, Norway, the Netherlands, and France. The author identifies the three most effective companies from the initial selection of business entities.

Bargaining power, decision making, and biofortification: The role of gender in adoption of orange sweet potato in Uganda

We examine the role of gender dimensions of intrahousehold bargaining power and decision making in the adoption and diffusion of orange sweet potato (OSP), a biofortified crop being promoted to increase dietary intakes of vitamin A in Uganda. We use patterns of ownership and control of land and other assets by married men and women to create gender-disaggregated indicators of bargaining power, allowing for joint and sole ownership and control of land and assets. Using data from an experimental evaluation of a project promoting OSP adoption, we find that the probability of adopting OSP is not affected by the exclusive or joint control of assets by women at the household level. However, within households, parcels of land under joint control, in which the woman has primary control over decision making, are significantly more likely to contain OSP. Women who control a higher share of household nonland resources are more likely to share OPS vines, showing that women use greater bargaining power to facilitate diffusion of this health-promoting technology. We do not find any impact of women’s bargaining power on children’s dietary intakes of Vitamin A, possibly because husbands and wives have the same preferences regarding their children’s nutritional status. These results contribute to reshaping our understanding of household decision making to inform the design and implementation of agriculture-nutrition interventions.

The Base of Prosperity in Developing Economies: A Case of Business Enterprises in Nepal

Purpose: This article aims to explain the status of BEs and to discuss their role in Nepal for a prosperous nation.
 Methods and materials: The study adopts the explanatory methods using both (i.e., primary and secondary) source and secondary data. For this purpose, the study entertained the process of collecting, arranging, organising and interpreting the collected data with appropriate forms.
 Findings and conclusion: The study found different types and forms of BEs in Nepal with different legal statuses but very small in number. The forms of BEs showed that sole proprietorship and P.Ltd. dominated business culture. Foreign companies and public limited companies which issue shares and debentures found in nominal number. The conclusion of the study shows that the governments of Nepal from the very beginning have not been working in a planned way to established the BEs in the appropriate required forms, types, natures and manner. Considering the requirement of the nation on the BEs, the government of Nepal should immediately take a good step for further development of the BEs.
 Originality/value: In this subject and context it is the first attempt although it deals with the BEs with different aspects and explains the role of BEs for the prosperity of the nation very clearly and substantially. However, it requires further study to be completed in all aspects.

Problems of functioning and directions of agro-food chains development in the conditions of turbulence strengthening

The article substantiates scientic and methodological approaches and principles of distribution, formation, effectiveness, effciency of functioning and development of agri-food chains. It is determined that agro-food chains have acquired the most significant economic and social importance for the inclusion of small producers in the processes of practical production cooperation, which prompted the requirements related to the specifics of the technology of production of finished food products. The main factors that provoke the emergence of extremely contradictory and diverse phenomena in the development of agri-food chains include: globalization of international relations, intensification of turbulent phenomena and processes in the world economy, the entry of advanced countries to new economic frontiers. For the current stage of development of the national economy, the practical implementation of one of the key objectives of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union was of paramount importance. For the purpose of periodic audit of HACCP-certified food processing enterprises, the specified structure of business entities that ensure the production of finished food and other products is highlighted. These calculations show that in 2018 in Ukraine the producers of agricultural raw materials were 49550 farms/enterprises and 23822 natural personsentrepreneurs who are oficially registered and represent the primary link in the food chain. The next link in the agri-food chain are processors of raw materials of primary production, which in Ukraine in 2018 were 5872 enterprises and 10845 individual entrepreneurs, of which 157 enterprises and 1016 sole proprietors produce non-food products. The analysis allows us to conclude that now the producers of food raw materials have the following situation: a) Àexible or simplified permanent procedures, certified (or tested) their facilities for compliance with the minimum requirements of basic programs; b) the second part, mainly FOPs and PF, continue to operate traditionally, ie without paying special attention to the time requirements for the implementation of systematic security procedures. It is established that in practice, some producers of food raw materials, with different levels of tightness, depth of processing and value creation, are already included in agri-food chains. Taking into account the objectively existing tendencies of spontaneous, at the initial stage mainly seasonal occurrence, and further deepening and strengthening of interrelations between actors, the hierarchy of formation and sustainable development of food chains is offered. Key words: agro-food chains, economic turbulence, agricultural raw materials, personal farms, processing and food enterprises, sustainable development, added value.

An acquisition or a greenfield subsidiary? The impact of knowledge on sequential establishments in a host country

PurposeEstablishment of wholly owned subsidiaries in a foreign market is central to international marketing because sole ownership and high commitment facilitate firm's marketing in the local market. Drawing on knowledge-based theory, this study extends the current understanding of firm's sequential establishments of wholly owned subsidiaries in a host country.Design/methodology/approachSwedish firms' establishments of wholly owned subsidiaries in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States were analyzed using a longitudinal approach.FindingsA firm's broad international experience is associated with an acquisition in any phase, while mode experience and value-adding experience are associated with postinitial acquisitions. There is no association between mode experience and greenfield investments.Research limitations/implicationsKnowledge-based theory explains a firm's choice of establishment mode when establishing in the same host country. Effects of marketing experiences are due to the establishment mode and different experiences explain choices for initial and postinitial establishments.Practical implicationsIn choosing between a wholly owned subsidiary in terms of an acquisition or a greenfield investment, for a foreign establishment the firm is advised to consider the impact of marketing experiences and establishment phase.Originality/valueResearch is needed on how experiences affect choices between foreign establishment modes where the firm is the sole owner. This study is the first to focus on the choice between wholly owned subsidiaries in terms of acquisitions and greenfield investments, and the impact of experience and phase of establishment in a particular host country.

Marxism, Communism, Marxian Socio-political Economic Theory and the Socialist World

Marxian model of economic, as enunciated in "Das-Capital" disapproved of the two classical models of economics proposed by Adam Smith and John Maynard Keynes though both had stood the test of the time. Marx’s Economic Theory encompassed the social, historical, and economic points of view based upon the thesis of Hegel's philosophy as well as its antithesis. Marx believed that the concept of relations of production as proposed by Capitalism was vague for the socio-cultural set up of a society. He said that Capitalism would not end up in a quiet death; rather it would have to be broken up with a 'Bang'; maybe by Violent Revolution. Rather than giving some weightage to machines, the paper, or the ’capital’, Marx would put all his eggs on the ‘Labor Class’ as he opined that the ‘Capitalist Class’ exploits the Labor Class. He would proclaim that the sole factor which decided the prices of the commodities was the value of the labor as determined by Labor Theory of Value (LTV) and not by the cost of machines and the capital put in for running the various operation of the establishment. There would be no Ownership of property; State becoming the sole proprietor as everything will be nationalized. Countries like the USSR and East Germany, after being separated from West Germany, because of the execution of treaties of WW-II (1945). North Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela also turned Socialists. Their economies (GDPs) will make a part of the present study. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungry, and China, which also followed the Socialistic pattern, are excluded.

The entry of a second generation at SK Enterprises: challenges and future prospects

Theoretical basis The case discussion begins with an understanding of Davis’s three-circle model. It then leads toward the key resources and challenges, by system and development stage as given by Gersick et al. (1997). After understanding the family business system, the case delves into making the students understand the circumplex model of the marital and family system. This matrix talks about the flexibility in the business structure along with cohesion in the family unit. The case then gets into the discussion about succession and the new generation joining the family business and the conflicts that may arise due to the same. It might be imperative to bring out the different forms of conflict that may arise in the family and business system. Researchers have identified three forms of conflict – task, process and relationship (Mckee, Madden, Kellermans and Eddleston, 2014). As passing the baton would take place next for this business in the case, the current generation needs to look at the future growth strategy for the business. Here, the discussion refers to the exploitation and exploration matrix given by Bergfeld and Weber (2011). Research methodology This is a primary data case. The data has been collected from SK Enterprises. Interviews were conducted to arrive at the issues and challenges discussed in the case. Case overview/synopsis This case talks about the dilemma of a first-generation entrepreneur. Jatinder Agarwal was the owner of SK Enterprises, a light-engineering firm manufacturing bright bars, engine parts and ceiling fan shafts. He had set up the business in 1984. His brother, Ramesh was helping him in the business. The business had prospered and grown from a single product manufacturing workshop in 1984 to two factories manufacturing multiple light engineering products. In 2015, the business was doing well and both Jatinder and Ramesh were excited to involve their respective sons, Pranav and Sanidh in the business after completion of their education. The case is about the challenges faced by Jatinder and Ramesh with the entry of a new generation. Jatinder and Ramesh were working in the family business with an implied structure where the business was a sole proprietorship in the name of Jatinder but the decisions were taken by both the brothers collectively. With the entry of the new generation, Jatinder had to decide how to re-organize the business and avoid conflicts in the family. He also had to take a decision regarding the future course of strategy, which would help the business grow further. Complexity academic level This case is about the dilemmas faced by a first-generation entrepreneur. The case can be taught in an “entrepreneurship” course, in a post-graduate MBA program. This case can also be taught in a family business program as part of the course on “Understanding Family Business – Managing Paradoxes” or “Building Lasting Family Business – Synergy in Vision, Values and Strategy.” This case can also be taught as part of a “business strategy” or “human resource management” in MBA or executive MBA program in the first year.

The Economics of Speed: The Electrification of the Streetcar System and the Decline of Mom-and-Pop Stores in Boston, 1885-1905

Small firms dominated the American economy in the nineteenth century, and still dominate in many developing economies today. This paper tests whether geographic market segmentation due to underdeveloped intracity transportation technology precludes the emergence of large retail/wholesale stores. I exploit the natural experiment of Boston's rapid electrification from its previous horse-drawn streetcar system, which occurred between 1889 and 1896. Analyzing newly digitized data, I and that rail-connected locations experienced a sharp decline in the share of sole proprietorships among food retail/wholesale establishments after the electrification relative to off-rail locations. Changes in market access due to streetcar electrification can explain this effect.

FORMATION OF SMALL-SCALE REGIONAL AGRO-INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS AS A BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The agrarian sector of the Ukrainian economy is characterized by a number of problems in agriculture, rural development and rural areas. Problems in the agrarian sphere arose both against the background of the peculiarities and specifics of the industry, and against the background of political, economic and social changes in the country. The purpose of the article is to summarize the theoretical approaches to the formation of small-scale regional agro-industrial clusters as a basis for sustainable rural development and to propose the creation of agro-industrial infrastructure management to enhance the development of small business as an integrated form of cluster association. The article is devoted to the problem of formation of regional small-scale agro-industrial clusters as a basis for stable development of the agrarian sector of the economy. It is proposed as an integration form of cluster integration to create agro-industrial infrastructure management, which operates on the basis of logistical coordination and provides maximum synergistic effect and harmonization of economic interests of participants of economic processes in the cluster. The model of interaction of participants of regional agro-industrial cluster of small form of economic activity in modern economic conditions is developed and its role in activation of small business development in agrarian economy of the region is substantiated. It has been found out that agro-industrial infrastructure management, as part of a cluster, must consist of a set of elements of the defining and supporting systems that are combined by material flows. In turn, the defining system has four interrelated element groups (processing, transportation, warehousing and marketing) and the support system has four interrelated element groups (regulatory, financial, logistical and personnel support). The types of small farms in rural areas, which are the basis for the formation of regional agro-industrial clusters of small farms, are presented, namely: small agricultural enterprises, farms, personal peasant farms, households, sole proprietors, agricultural cooperatives. The formation of small-scale agro-industrial clusters as an effective mechanism for solving socio-economic problems in rural areas contributes to employment and enhances the competitiveness of agro-industrial production.

Current Cosmetologist Training Programs and Trainees’ Satisfaction

In modern society, where the influence of mass media continues to grow, the boundary between experts and the general public is blurring. With the growth and development of the cosmetology industry, people have rapidly acquired technical knowledge through diverse media. Under these circumstances, cosmetologists are required to build the skills to catch and follow the latest trends earlier than the general public. Hence, professional and systematic cosmetologist training is essential, and there has been a rising demand for high-quality training programs. This study attempted to provide basic data for the development of cosmetologist training programs. For this, a survey on current training programs and trainees’ satisfaction was performed among 300 beauty salon workers. For this, beauty salons were divided into sole proprietorships and franchises. In general, the matter was more systematic and more organized than the former in terms of training programs. When asked about problems in the training programs, ‘poor quality’ was most responded (38.6%: sole proprietorship, 34.2%: franchise chain). In training at work as well, ‘curriculum’ was the highest (48.7%: sole proprietorship, 43.0%: franchise chain). Therefore, it is reasonable to say that a high-quality training program is necessary for all beauty salon workers regardless of workplace classification.

Lycopene Reduces Skin Toxicity in Patients Treated with Panitumumab-Containing Therapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer – A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

Background: EGFR inhibition leads to the production of reactive oxygen metabolites, causing skin inflammatory reactions. Lycopene has an extreme antioxidant activity and, due to its hydrophobic structure, accumulates specifically in the skin. Methods: To assess lycopene effectiveness in reducing skin toxicity induced by panitumumab, 28 patients received lactolycopene or placebo in a phase-II PASTO study. Patients were evaluated at the beginning of each cycle and data were analyzed as the difference in mean grade of skin toxicity, frequency and duration of > G2 skin toxicity and frequency of tetracyclines administration. Lycopene, β-carotene and malondialdehyde plasma concentrations were analyzed to measure antioxidant consumption and oxidative stress. Findings: In the placebo group, ten out of 15 patients (66·67%), developed a > G2 skin toxicity, during 36 out of 92 cumulative cycles (39·1%), versus 3 out of 13 (23·08%), during 8 out of 64 cumulative cycles (12·5%) in the lactolycopene group. The time to the appearance of > G2 skin toxicity was different in the two groups (p= 0.0007 logrank test). Mean value of skin toxicity during treatment was 2·4 and 1·4 for placebo and lactolycopene group, respectively. Tetracyclines were administered for > G2 skin toxicity according to the protocol. Mean plasma concentration of lycopene and β-carotene decreased during treatment compared to day 0 (-141·94% and -157·22% respectively) in the placebo group, with a +109·36% mean malondialdehyde concentration increase. In contrast, in the lactolycopene group, mean plasma lycopene concentration increased during treatment (+94·18%), with a mean malondialdehyde concentration decrease (-68·83%) and a mean β-carotene concentration decrease (-105·5%) smaller than in the placebo group . Interpretation: Despite the limited number of patients, results clearly show lycopene effectiveness in reducing skin toxicity in patients treated with panitumumab. In our series lactolycopene administration was able to protect tissues from oxidative stress and to replenish antioxidants consumption. Trial Registration: registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (PaSTo – Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT 03167268) Funding Statement: AMOlavitaONLUS, Indena Spa. Declaration of Interests: MM1 is the vice-president and MP the treasurer of AMOlavitaONLUS. AMOlavitaONLUS is the sole owner and it holds all the ownership rights on the international patent application entitled “Use of carotenoid derivatives to reduce the toxicity and increase the efficacy of antiEGFR antitumor treatments” (N°PCT/IB2018/050229). MM1 and MP are exclusively inventors of the patent and they have no ownership right on the patent. Indena Spa, who supplied free of charge lactolycopene for the Pasto Clinical Trial, is not the owner of the patent for lactolycopene production. All other authors declare no competing interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The protocol was approved by the ethics committees of all participating institutions. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients.

Theater Art in Oleksandrivsk (Zaporizhzhya): end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th сenturies

Theater Art in Oleksandrivsk (Zaporizhzhya): end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th сenturies

Pentahelix model application for tourism development strategy

This study discussed the application of the Pentahelix model in the development strategies of Toba Samosir tourism. The current research was conducted using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. It aimed at exploring how stakeholder synergy in each formulation, as well as the development of tourism. Research data were collected through observation, interviews, literature review, and surveys. The results showed that the lack of synergy between stakeholders caused the low number of tourist visits. The government tends to assume that the stakeholders are the sole owner of the power so that the development of tourism has not been able to produce welfare, even, it tends to cause prolonged conflict within the community itself. Therefore, the current study proposes a vital step of pentahelix model, in which the government of local regency should have better synergy with stakeholders.

A Lei 13.874 e os Impactos na Parte Especial do Código Civil Observadas as Normas do Livro II: Do Direito de Empresa

A Lei 13.874 representa uma modificação quanto aos direitos de Empresa assim como notórias mudanças no Código Civil. Deste modo, é importante analisar os impactos da sua promulgação no Direito Empresarial, tendo como enfoque a alteração no artigo 1.052, que introduz em seu parágrafo primeiro e segundo, a sociedade unipessoal, assim como a inclusão do parágrafo 7° no artigo 980-A, que versa sobre a despersonalização da Pessoa Jurídica na EIRELE. Para isso, vale observar o contexto da criação da lei, pela medida provisória 881/19 justificando levantamento de urgência no tocante a liberdade econômica, assim como as alterações concernentes as relações empresariais.

Gender and Entrepreneurship in the Renewable Energy Sector of Rwanda

Until recently, women have not been seen as having the potential for entrepreneurial success. Yet women’s engagement in the energy sector could substantially improve energy access for those most underserved. This article examines the role of women as energy entrepreneurs from the perspective of gender inequality within the energy industry. Data from Nuru Energy, a social business focused on providing solar lighting to the ultra‑poor, provide insights on how the inclusion of women sales agents can increase sales and how strategic modifications to the social business model can further support female-led businesses. Observational data from over 1,000 rural enterprises show that women, on average, sold significantly more units than men. Women operating in solo firms and leading group-based teams consistently outsold men-led solo and group‑based enterprises. Findings further suggest that, when operating in groups, women tend to outperform men even more than when operating sole proprietorships.