Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe ready‐made garments (RMG) production industry in Bangladesh has achieved a major presence in the global fashion apparel supply chain particularly due to the competitive advantage (CA) primarily attributed to its' large pool of low cost labor. However, the competitiveness of this industry is under threat from other emerging economies that are rapidly becoming lower cost production sources. As a result the Bangladesh RMG sector is under pressure to find alternate sources of CA by introducing sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices along with improving the dynamic capabilities (DC) of the RMG manufacturers. However, the extant literature indicates that there is a dearth of sufficient empirical evidence on whether SSCM practices in combination with improvements in management and technological capabilities of such enterprises leads to gains in CA. In order to address the aforesaid gap, this study draws on the integration of the SSCM practices view and the DC view, to propose a set of relationships that posit that environmental, social, and economic sustainability measures of SSCM practices along with management and technological capabilities will have a significant influence on CA. The hypotheses are tested by applying structural equation modeling on a sample of 345 export‐oriented RMG manufacturers in Bangladesh. The findings indicate that influence of social sustainability, along with management and technological capabilities, on CA is positive and significant. While the relationship between environmental and economic sustainability and CA were not significant.

Enhancing firm performance in the turbulent international situation has become an important issue in firm evolution. There has been a large amount of research interest in the rapid development of emerging international firms, but the relevant empirical studies are still limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate three factors that impact firm performance, utilizing the Uppsala model as a main theoretical foundation. Based on empirical analysis of 332 medium and large Chinese manufacturing international firms, this study finds that the degree of internationalization, knowledge development, and commitment processes have positively impact firm performance. This finding contributes to the international business literature's understanding of firm development in emerging markets and enhances the generalizability of the Uppsala model.

The increase in indigenous oil firms' participation (IOFP) and backward linkages through which additional jobs could be created was the main target of the local content policy (LC policy) implemented in the Nigerian oil sector over the past decade. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to assess whether IOFP and backward linkages mediate the relationship between the LC policy and job creation in the country's oil sector on which there was little empirical research. Data obtained from Nigerian indigenous oil service firms through self-administered questionnaires were analysed by using a bootstrapping technique. Our results revealed that there was an indirect effect of the LC policy on the creation of new jobs. This finding sheds light on the positive impact of the LC policy. Our results imply that if Nigeria's LC policy is effective and efficient, increased job opportunities will follow. This may speed up the country's vision of 2020 on value-addition in achieving economic development through the oil sector.

The focus of this paper is to explain in more detail the theoretical concept of the relationship among local content policy (LCP), indigenous oil firms' participation and job creation in Nigeria's oil and gas sector. There is no doubt about that "capital-intensivity" of oil and gas sector and that it creates little amount of jobs in the economy. However, it has been argued that if the sector is well managed and regulated, it has potential to create sizable employment. This mounts on the perception that several medium-scaled services often required in stages of production of oil products which may generate many employments. Recently, the motive for job creation in oil and gas sector, particularly for local labours, has led many established oil-producing countries to implement some regulatory policies in their hydrocarbon sectors. One common of such policies is the so-called local content policy (LCP). Generally, the LCP often aims at increasing participation of local oil service companies through which employment opportunities would be created for local workforce. Nigeria, a nascent oil-export country, introduced LCP in its hydrocarbon sector early 2001. The core objective of this policy in Nigeria is not uniquely different from other oil-rich countries where the policy has been practiced. The policy is mainly designed to increase participation of Nigerian indigenous firms for value addition to local economy, especially, in terms of creation of more employments for Nigerian workforce within the sector. Some corpus of studies has described the relationship between LCP and local firms' participation in the oil sector, many of which relied on theory of firm. However, they provide little understanding on how such influence relate to job creation. This paper demonstrates and explains in more detail a theoretical relationship that likely to exist among the LCP, indigenous oil firms' participation and job creation in the oil and gas sector. The focus is not on empirical examination of the effect, rather on explanation of conceptual relationship among these variables, which has seen as an indispensable. In this paper, we infer that there might be a linear link between LCP and indigenous oil firms' participation in the industry. This paper argues that the credence of LCP relies on the amount of job it evolved. However, if interaction between LCP and indigenous firms' participation fails to relate to job creation, then, the focal objective of the policy on value addition, as regard to job creation, may not achieved.

Halal industry is expanding worldwide, and it requires strong supply chain management to enhance halal business efficiency and preserve credibility through halal logistics process. However, studies on halal logistics remain limited and isolated. Thus, this study aimed to understand the impact of stakeholders on halal logistics practices among Malaysian halal-certified manufacturers. The primary objectives of this study are to examine the underlying dimensions of halal logistics practices, investigate the level of halal logistics practices, investigate the extent of stakeholders' influence on halal logistics practices, and explore the relationship of halal logistics practices towards supply chain performance. Based on the data collected through a questionnaires survey from 270 managers from halal-certified manufacturers, SPSS and SmartPLS were used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that operational dimensions are the most practiced dimensions of halal logistics amongst firms. Meanwhile, competitors, government, NGOs, community media and society, and customers significantly influence the adoption of halal logistics practices. Importantly, halal logistics practices are positively related to supply chain performance. This study has extended the feasibility of stakeholder theory in the sense of halal logistics to the scope and comprehensiveness of stakeholders. The outcome of this study provides important implications to both academics and practitioners, particularly in the halal industry.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to holistically investigate the interrelationships between key contextual factors of cloud ERP adoption and the strategic consequences of such adoption. Design/Methodology/Approach: The key contextual factors whose influences are explored on cloud ERP adoption are Feature task-match, (FTM); Top Management Support on Change Management (TMSCM) and Government Financial Support (GFS) while the strategic consequences of cloud ERP adoption investigated are competitive advantage (CA) and organisational performance. A conceptual framework grounded in Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) model, Task technology-fit (TTF) model and Resource-Based View (RBV) theory is developed for empirical validation that will involve a projected sample of 382 respondents of SMEs in Malaysia using PLS-SEM as main statistical analysis tool. Practical Implications: Practically, this study will guide SMEs' managers on cloud ERP selection that fits their firms' tasks, how to effectively deal with resistance to change occasioned by technology adoption and how effective GFS has been influencing cloud ERP adoption. In addition, SMEs managers stand to gain insight into how cloud ERP adoption can simultaneously and/or indirectly lead to competitive advantage and organisational performance as strategic benefits. Originality/Value: Investigation of a new variant key contextual factors critical for successful cloud ERP adoption and their subsequent impact on CA and organisational performance simultaneously and indirectly. ; peer-reviewed

E-commerce has been proposed as the new driver of the growth of any country's economy. The SME sector plays an important role in contributing to the economy nationally as far as wealth creation by employees is concerned. SMEs in Saudi Arabia represent a significant portion of the productive units in the Saudi economy, and the government policies propose means to improve SME capabilities. Most Saudi Arabian SMEs have had reservations adopting aspects of their enterprises that are electronically delivered. Very few Saudi SMEs, mostly from manufacturing have implemented e-commerce. The results show that some of the hindrances to e-commerce in Saudi include cultural issues, business factors, and technical aspects. Among the facilitators were e-commerce awareness programs, government support for e-commerce adoption, a strong IT infrastructure, and programs for enlightening people. Although studies reveal that government promotions have very little influence on online trade in many countries, this paper has indicated that promotions from the government have boosted e-commerce in Saudi Arabia. This paper studies the challenges and obstacles facing Saudi Arabian SMEs in the adoption of online trade.