42,182 research outputs found

    The competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy 2001

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    Investors in People : research on the New Choices approach

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    "Investors in People (IIP) is a business development tool that was first launched in 1991. The IIP Standard enables organisations to assess how they are managing people, and where improvements can be made. There are 39 evidence requirements which must be met for an organisation to be recognised as meeting the IIP Standard. The New Choices approach to IIP was introduced in May 2009 to provide greater flexibility and customisation of IIP to an employer’s priorities and goals. It also allows progress beyond the IIP Standard and incorporates additional recognition in the form of Bronze, Silver and Gold award levels (for which organisations must provide evidence that they meet at least 65, 115 or 165 evidence requirements respectively). In April 2010, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills took over strategic ownership of IIP and was keen to understand the differences made by New Choices. The overall aim of this research is to identify the impact that the New Choices approach has had on perceptions and take up of IIP, with a view to informing future strategy for IIP and contributing to meeting longer-term objectives for IIP. The project methodology included: preliminary research (familiarisation with the IIP literature review, a review of management information, and discussions with key stakeholders); an e-survey of employers engaged with the New Choices approach; and 15 employer case studies to add depth to the understanding of how New Choices was working in practice. The New Choices approach was introduced across the UK in May 2009 (after being piloted in Scotland and some parts of England), so at the time of writing has been operational for less than two years. This is a relatively short period of time in which to judge the impact of the New Choices approach, as further benefits are likely to accrue over the long term. As such, this review has not identified significant direct benefits experienced by employers who have followed the extended framework and achieved a Bronze, Silver or Gold award level, though it has identified some changes that may contribute to increased business efficiency" - page i

    Town centre improvements through sustainable procurement

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    The project is investigating the potential to reduce town centre business costs and negative environmental impacts through the use of innovations in procurement and freight transport. These innovations include collaborative procurement, Business Improvement Districts, and Delivery and Servicing Plans. These approaches were being trialled and evaluated in three British towns: Cambridge, Lowestoft and Norwich. 17 companies were developing and applying a Delivery and Servicing Plan. Transport reduction effects were achieved

    Graduate recruitment to SMEs. Final report

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    The Export Trading Company Act of 1982 and the photovoltaics industry: An assessment

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    The potential advantages of recent export promotion legislation for the U.S. photovoltaics industry were assessed. The provisions of the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 were reviewed and the export trade sector was surveyed to determine what impact the Act is haviang on export company activity. The photovoltaics industry was then studied to determine whether the Act offers particular advantages for promoting its product overseas

    ADB–OECD Study on Enhancing Financial Accessibility for SMEs: Lessons from Recent Crises

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    During the era of global financial uncertainty, stable access to appropriate funding sources has been much harder for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The global financial crisis impacted SMEs and entrepreneurs disproportionately, exacerbating their traditional financing constraints. The financial conditions of many SMEs were weakened by the drop in demand for goods and services and the credit tightening. The sovereign debt crisis that hit several European countries contributed to further deterioration in bank lending activities, which negatively affected private sector development. The global regulatory response to financial crises, such as the Basel Capital Accord, while designed to reduce systemic risks may also constrain bank lending to SMEs. In particular, Basel III requires banks to have tighter risk management as well as greater capital and liquidity. Resulting asset preference and deleveraging of banks, particularly European banks with significant presence in Asia, could limit the availability of funding for SMEs in Asia and the Pacific. Lessons from the recent financial crises have motivated many countries to consider SME access to finance beyond conventional bank credit and to diversify their national financial system. Improving SME access to finance is a policy priority at the country and global level. Poor access to finance is a critical inhibiting factor to the survival and growth potential of SMEs. Financial inclusion is thus key to the development of the SME sector, which is a driver of job creation and social cohesion and takes a pivotal role in scaling up national economies. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have recognized that it is crucial to develop a comprehensive range of policy options on SME finance, including innovative financing models. With this in mind, sharing Asian and OECD experiences on SME financing would result in insightful discussions on improving SME access to finance at a time of global financial uncertainty. Based on intensive discussions in two workshops organized by ADB in Manila on 6–7 March 2013 and by OECD in Paris on 21 October 2013, the two organizations together compiled this study report on enhancing financial accessibility for SMEs, especially focusing on lessons from the past and recent crises in Asia and OECD countries. The report takes a comparative look at ADB and OECD experiences, and aims to identify promising policy solutions for creating an SME base that is resilient to crisis, from a viewpoint of access to finance, and which can help drive growth and development

    Collaborators or Competitors? Exploring the Relationships between Community Development Financial Institutions and Conventional Lenders in Small Business Finance

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    This study examines the nature of the interaction of banks and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in small business lending. We examine the experience of six different CDFIs that vary by size, corporate structure, and market. We explore how they both collaborate and compete with regulated lenders, and how changes in local and national market dynamics affect their activities. Our case studies are not necessarily representative of the CDFI industry, but they offer insights on the factors that shape CDFIs' interactions with and responses to more mainstream institutions. Our findings are therefore more descriptive than prescriptive, although we offer suggestions for both CDFI practice and future research

    Complexity stage model of the medical device development based on economic evaluation-MedDee

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    The development of a new product is essential for the progress and success of any company. The medical device market is very specific, which is challenging. Therefore, this paper assesses an economic model for medical device evaluation using the economic, health, technology regulatory, and present market knowledge to enable the cost-time conception for any applicant. The purpose of this study is to propose a comprehensive stage model of the medical device development to subsequently describe the financial expenditure of the entire development process. The identification of critical steps was based on the literature review, and analysis, and a comparison of the available medical device development stages and directives. Furthermore, a preliminary assessment of the medical device development steps and procedures on the basis of the interviews was performed. Six interviews were conducted with an average duration of one hour, focusing on areas: relevance and level of detail of the medical device development stages, involvement of economic methods, and applicability of the proposed model. Subsequently, the improvement and modification of the medical device investment process, based on respondents' responses, were conducted. The authors have proposed the complexity model MedDee-Medical Devices Development by Economic Evaluation. This model is comprised of six phases: initiation, concept, design, production, final verification, and market disposition in which the economic methods are incorporated.Web of Science125art. no. 175

    The private sector and HIV/AIDS in Africa: taking stock of six years of applied research

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    This repository item contains a single issue of the Health and Development Discussion Papers, an informal working paper series that began publishing in 2002 by the Boston University Center for Global Health and Development. It is intended to help the Center and individual authors to disseminate work that is being prepared for journal publication or that is not appropriate for journal publication but might still have value to readers.BACKGROUND: Until recently, little was known about the costs of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to businesses in Africa and business responses to the epidemic. This paper synthesizes the results of a set of studies conducted between 1999 and 2006 and draws conclusions about the role of the private sector in Africa’s response to AIDS. METHODS: Detailed human resource, financial, and medical data were collected from 14 large private and parastatal companies in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Ethiopia. Surveys of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were conducted in South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia. Large companies’ responses or potential responses to the epidemic were investigated in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Rwanda. RESULTS: Among the large companies, estimated workforce HIV prevalence ranged from 5%- 37%. The average cost per employee lost to AIDS varied from 0.5-5.6 times the average annual compensation of the employee affected. Labor cost increases as a result of AIDS were estimated at anywhere from 0.6%-10.8% but exceeded 3% at only 2 of 14 companies. Treatment of eligible employees with ART at a cost of $360/patient/year was shown to have positive financial returns for most but not all companies. Uptake of employer-provided testing and treatment services varied widely. Among SMEs, HIV prevalence in the workforce was estimated at 10%-26%. SME managers consistently reported low AIDS related employee attrition, little concern about the impacts of AIDS on their companies, and relatively little interest in taking action, and fewer than half had ever discussed AIDS with their senior staff. AIDS was estimated to increase the average operating costs of small tourism companies in Zambia by less than 1%; labor cost increases in other sectors were probably smaller. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was wide variation among the firms studied, clear patterns emerged that will permit some prediction of impacts and responses in the future
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