La importancia de la reinversión en la atracción de empresas extranjeras. El caso de la región caribeña.

Según la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo (2007), aproximadamente, el 50% de la inversión directa extranjera (IED) en países en desarrollo proviene de fuentes de reinversión. Este estudio evalúa el potencial de nueve países caribeños (Bahamas, Barbados, Belice, la República Dominicana, Guyana, Haití, Jamaica, Surinam y Trinidad y Tobago) en beneficiarse de proyectos de expansión de inversores extranjeros, individualmente en cada uno de los países, así como en toda la región. Además, este documento examina en detalle y sintetiza, la literatura existente sobre multinacionales e IED, cubriendo ambas perspectivas, teórica y empírica. También incluye una encuesta a inversores extranjeros ya presentes en el Caribe, consultas con las agencias de promoción de las inversiones (APIs) de los países mencionados y asesoramiento sobre mejores prácticas internacionales. El estudio aporta recomendaciones generales a ambos niveles, regional y nacional, a través de guías, planes de acción individuales para cada API y un programa de reinversión para los nueve países participantes. Los hallazgos positivos sobre las intenciones de expansión de los proyectos de inversión en el Caribe y las respuestas favorables al clima de negocios en la región, demuestran el gran potencial existente para que las APIs nacionales se beneficien de cada uno de sus positiones en la región, identificando sinergias con otros países vecinos y proponiendo al inversor una propuesta de valor mas integral ofreciendo una localizacionque cubra sus necesidades, asegurando, de este modo atraer mas IED

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN ROMANIA

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main opportunities and limitations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The survey was defined with the aim to involve the highest possible number of relevant CSR topics and give the issue a more wholesome perspective. It provides a basis for further comprehension and deeper analyses of specific CSR areas. The conditions determining the success of CSR in Romania have been defined in the paper on the basis of the previously cumulative knowledge as well as the results of various researches. This paper provides knowledge which may be useful in the programs promoting CSR.Corporate social responsibility, Supportive policies, Romania

The moderating effects of owner-managers' personal values on the relationship between corporate social responsibility drivers and practices

While corporate social responsibility (CSR) among large corporations has been widely investigated, it is often overlooked among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as their involvement in CSR activities is often based on less formalised business strategies, and more on the ethical concerns of the owner-managers. However, recent trends show that there is growth in CSR activities among manufacturing SMEs. Hence, this study aimed at examining the influence of stakeholders (employee, local community, customer, government, competitor and supplier) and performance on CSR participation among Malaysian manufacturing SMEs. This study also examined the moderating effects of personal values (religious, economic, social, theoretical, political and aesthetic) on these relationships. Structured self-administered questionnaires were distributed to SME owner-managers using the simple random sampling technique. Usable responses were received from 203 SMEs, giving a response rate of 13. 7%. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was subsequently performed using Smart PLS. The results indicate that employees and local communities are positively related, while suppliers are negatively related, to SME-CSR participation. Customers, governments, competitors and performance are insignificant drivers for CSR practices. Owner managers' personality like economic, social and aesthetic values can moderate the relationship between employees and CSR participation. A strong positive association exists between the employee factor and CSR practices when these three values of the SME owner-managers are high, and vice versa. Religious values can moderate the association of suppliers and performance with CSR participation. The relationship between suppliers and CSR participation is strengthened when SME owner-managers' religious values are high. The results also reveal that SME owner-managers with low religious value are concerned with the economic benefits of CSR practices and vice versa. Political and theoretical values do not moderate the relationship between CSR drivers and CSR practices. Integrating stakeholders into the institutional theories in explaining CSR participation will enrich the existing literature

Design and realisation of an integrated methodology for the analytical design of complex supply chains

Supply chain systems are inherently complex and are dynamically changing webs of relationships. Wider product variety, smaller production lot sizes, more tiers and different actors involved in coordinated supply chains also cause supply chain complexity and presents major challenges to production managers. This context has led modern organizations to implement new supply chain paradigms and adopt new techniques to support rapid design, analysis and implementation of the new paradigms. The present research focuses to develop an integrated methodology which can support the analytical design of complex supply chains. [Continues.

Record of economic research on the Middle East and North Africa since 1990

Tema ovog završnog rada je analiza naprezanja i deformacija u toplinski opterećenoj konstrukciji. Prije same analize, koja se temelji na principima metode konačnih elemenata kratko je opisana zadana konstrukcija, te mehanička i toplinska svojstva materijala deformabilnih ploča korištenih u sklopu. Numerička analiza izvodi se u programskom paketu ABAQUS, te je stoga u ovome radu dan kratak osvrt na teorijsku podlogu navedenog programskog paketa. Također, opisani su korišteni trodimenzionalni elementi koji su korišteni u numeričkoj analizi. U analizi se koriste osnovni heksaedarski „brick“ elementi za toplinska i mehanička opterećenja, te superponirani elementi za termomehaničke primjene. Prije početka numeričke analize zadane konstrukcije, odabrani elementi su verificirani na poznatim problemima koje je uz određena pojednostavljenja moguće riješiti analitičkim putem. Numerička analiza rađena je za tri različita tipa toplinskog opterećenja, te su za svaki tip opterećenja opisani rubni uvjeti, stacionarnost ili tranzijentnost problema, te proces dobivanja konačne diskretizacije proračunskog modela analizom konvergencije. Nakon provođenja analize detaljnije su opisani dobiveni rezultati, te prikazane karakteristične raspodjele pomaka, naprezanja i temperatura.The subject of this final paper is analysis of stresses and strains in construction subjected to thermal load. Before the analysis, which is based on the principles of finite element method, a short description of given structure is provided, and mechanical and thermal properties of deformable plates used in assembly is given. Numerical analysis is carried out in software package called ABAQUS, so in this paper it is given a short overview of theoretical basis of specified software package. Finite elements used in numerical analyisis are also described. The analysis used basic three-dimensional hexahedron „brick“ elements for thermal and mechanical loads, and superimposed elements for thermomechanical applications. Before the numerical analysis of given construction, chosen elements are verified on known problems, which can be analytically solved with certain simplifications. Numerical analysis is done fore three different types of thermal load, and thus, for every type, are described boundary conditions, stationarity or transitivity, and the process of detirmining the final discretization of numerical model with convergence analysis. After the analysis is carried out, results are described in a more detailed manner, and also specific distributions of discplacements, stresses and temperatures are shown

The Portuguese citizens trust state on existing banks in Portugal and their concerns when choosing a bank

JEL Classification: G2; P13Purpose: This dissertation aims to present the Portuguese Citizens trust level on the existing banks, recognizing their criteria when choosing banks. The purpose is to promote the discussion on the type of banks citizens would like to have. It also contributes to literature regarding financial crisis consequences on trust and providing arguments on the potential relevance of Cooperative banks. Method: The author uses quantitative method. Data is gathered by surveys and analyzed on SPSS - Multi Correspondence and Chi-Square Analysis. Findings: The research concludes that Portuguese Citizens are not trusting on the existent banks, since they think banks aren’t acting correctly. Citizens are also concerned with the well-being promotion that banks create rather than profit maximization. Research limitations: This research is based on the existing literature and on data gathered by telephone to 600 citizens. To understand some issues, developing qualitative research (focus groups and interviews) could be relevant. Practical implications: With financial crisis context and its consequences on trust level, the population is generally disappointed with banks. Citizens are starting looking for banks environmental, social and ethical concerned. Other types of banks should appear and the existing ones should start rethinking their products, if they want to gain any kind of trust. Originality/Value: This paper analyses the existing trust level on banks of Portuguese citizens and tries to identify the new characteristics that these citizens would like to see in a bank. Many of those characteristics are greatly linked to cooperative banking movement which could indicate a market opportunity.Propósito: Esta dissertação pretende apresentar o nível de confiança dos cidadãos Portugueses na banca, reconhecendo os critérios de selecção a quando da escolha dos mesmos. O propósito é promover a discussão sobre a preferência dos cidadãos no tipo de banca. O estudo contribui para a literatura, relativamente às consequências da crise financeira na confiança, apresentando argumentos que potenciam a relevância da banca Cooperativa. Método: O autor empregou o método quantitativo. Os dados resultam de questionário, analisados no SPSS - Análises das Correspondências Múltiplas e Qui-Quadrado. Resultados: Os portugueses não confiam na banca, considerando os bancos não estão a agir correctamente. Os cidadãos estão preocupados com a promoção do bem-estar criado pelos bancos em detrimento da maximização dos lucros. Limitações do Estudo: Este estudo baseia-se na literatura existente e na recolha de dados via telefone (600 Portugueses). Para melhor compreender algumas questões, desenvolver o método qualitativo (focus groups e entrevistas) poderia ser relevante. Implicações Práticas: Num contexto de crise financeira e das consequências na confiança, a população está, em geral, desapontada com os bancos. Os Portugueses começam a procurar bancos preocupados com o ambiente, ética e inclusão social. Outros tipos de bancos devem aparecer e os que existem devem começar a repensar os seus produtos, se querem ganhar a confiança dos consumidores. Originalidade/Valor: Esta dissertação revela a confiança nos bancos e procura identificar novas características que os cidadãos gostassem de reconhecer nos bancos. Muitas destas características estão directamente relacionadas com o movimento da banca cooperativa, indicando uma potencial oportunidade de mercado

Economic Evaluation of Agricultural Research in Australia and New Zealand - A workshop held in conjunction with the 40th annual conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society 11-16 February 1996, Melbourne, Australia

Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,