The Status of Civil Society in Zambia: Challenges and Future Prospects

This report analyses this multi-faceted nature of CSOs, whether formal or informal in nature, in order to gain a greater understanding of the characteristics that make them a valued partner in the development process, the challenges they encounter, and the capabilities most needed to play their expected roles

National Culture and Financial Systems

Countries differ in the way their financial activities are organized. In Anglo-Saxon countries such as the U.S. and the U.K., financial systems are dominated by stock markets whereas in Continental Europe and Japan, banks play a predominant role. Why do countries differ in the configuration of their financial systems? We argue that national culture plays a significant role. We find that countries characterized by higher uncertainty avoidance, as an attribute of their national culture, are more likely to have a bank-based system.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57264/1/wp884 .pd

Money Ethic, Moral Conduct and Work Related Attitudes: Field Study From the Public Sector in Swaziland

Purpose This study investigates perception of ethical and moral conduct in the public sector in Swaziland, specifically, the relationship among: money ethic, attitude towards business ethics, corruption perception, turnover intention, job performance, job satisfaction, and the demographic profile of respondents. Methodology/Approach The study was a survey using self-administered questionnaires. Using stratified sampling technique in selected organisations, usable data was collected from 83 public sector employees in Swaziland. Findings Results indicated significant relationship among money ethic, attitude towards business ethics, turnover intention and job performance. The importance of money as a motivator was also demonstrated. Respondents hold that civil servants’ involvement in corruption is high and that bribery and corruption is widespread in Swaziland. Research limitations/implications The sample size was small and hence limits generalization of findings, but provides preliminary information for a larger study. The need to enrich future studies with in-depth follow-up interviews was noted. Practical implication The respondents’ perception of widespread corruption calls for a reinvigoration of government anti-graft efforts and the need to promote ethical consciousness in the country. Originality/value of paper This paper has demonstrated the importance of ethical awareness, the importance of money as a motivator and the state of corruption in another cultural setting – Swaziland

The culture of corruption: A nonparametric analysis

By using a sample of 77 countries the analysis applies several nonparametric techniques in order to reveal the link between national culture and corruption. Based on Hofstede΄s cultural dimensions and the corruption perception index, the results reveal that countries with higher levels of corruption tend to have higher power distance and collectivism values in their society.Nonparametric methods,Corruption perception index, National culture

Investigating the cultural patterns of corruption: A nonparametric analysis

By using a sample of 77 countries our analysis applies several nonparametric techniques in order to reveal the link between national culture and corruption. Based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and the corruption perception index, the results reveal that countries with higher levels of corruption tend to have higher power distance and collectivism values in their society.Nonparametric methods; Corruption perception index; National culture

Do tolerant societies demand better institutions?

The increasing ethnic heterogeneity that many societies are experiencing could be interpreted as a detrimental phenomenon, since empirical literature exists that indicates that higher levels of ethnic fractionalization induce higher levels of corruption. This paper aims to show the role of tolerance in overcoming this harmful effect of ethnic heterogeneity. To this end, a sample of 86 countries is tested for a positive association between ethnic fractionalization and corruption. It is then shown that tolerance offsets this effect through both direct and indirect effects on corruption. In order to analyse the indirect effects, the level of income and the freedom of the press are selected as channels, since these represent two determinants of corruption that are linked to tolerance. Moreover, tolerance and corruption have been modelled as composites. Consequently, Partial Least Squares path modelling (PLS-PM) has been used. For our sample, an index of tolerance towards immigrants and people of different race and an index of corruption are constructed, for which several sources are jointly utilised. Our results appear to indicate that the adverse effect of ethnic fractionalization on corruption is offset by tolerance, which reduces corruption not only directly but also indirectly through the level of income and the freedom of the press

Kazakhstani management culture : perception of french managers

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of how French managers perceive major aspects of the business culture of Kazakhstan. This country, rich in natural resources, recently became open to the world. To succeed in a highly competitive environment of foreign companies installing in Kazakhstan, one should be aware of how to deal with a new market, how to deal with people, how to cope with cross-cultural differences. To describe culture, the paper uses the cultural dimensions developed by the best known researchers (Hofstede, Schein, Hall, Trompenaars, Adler, etc.) and summarized by Schneider and Barsoux (1997) in general schema. The study uses a qualitative research method - an adaptation of the critical incident technique (Flanagan, 1954) - to explain the peculiarities of Kazakhstani management culture that create problems and difficulties for French managers. The results support the argument that the most important differences for French managers are differences in language and nature of reality and truth dimensions. The findings of this study indicate that French managers consider Kazakhstani management culture as a being rather than doing culture with a higher degree of uncertainty avoidance; a more collectivist (family-oriented) and more particularistic culture where social orientation prevails over task orientation. The differences in human nature are significant. Results also suggest that Kazakhstani management culture is considered by French managers as a diffuse rather than specific involvement culture. Lastly, the differences in hierarchical dimension are only moderately significant for French managers.Culture; management; Kazakhstan; France

National Culture and Financial Systems

Countries differ in the way their financial activities are organized. In Anglo-Saxon countries such as the U.S. and the U.K., financial systems are dominated by stock markets whereas in Continental Europe and Japan, banks play a predominant role. Why do countries differ in the configuration of their financial systems? We argue that national culture plays a significant role. We find that countries characterized by higher uncertainty avoidance, as an attribute of their national culture, are more likely to have a bank-based system.Financial Systems, Bank-based, Market based, Culture, Uncertainty Avoidance

Croatian Accession to the European Union: Institutional Challenges

This paper provides a comparative empirical analysis of social values in Croatia, the European Union (EU), the countries joining in the first round, and a group of European countries outside the EU. Following up on the analysis of the data obtained in international research into European values carried out at the end of the 90’s on national samples of most European countries, the authors have endeavoured to determine the differences in the spread of post-material values and the scope of social capital. The objective is to define where, in terms of social values, Croatia is currently located, and thus to sketch out its readiness or lack of readiness for joining the EU. In the second part, the paper offers a comparative analysis of factors that affect the level of public confidence in the EU.socio-cultural values, post-materialism, social capital, transition costs, confidence in the European Union, Croatia