Assessing sustainability performance of high-tech firms through a hybrid approach

Purpose: In light of the lack of subjective criteria and scientific rationality in current sustainability performance assessment, the purpose of this paper is conducted to improve the sustainability performance assessment of high-tech firms by developing a hybrid approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods. Design/methodology/approach: This study proposed a hybrid approach that integrates word frequency analysis, cluster analysis, grey theory and the decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Specifically, this study identifies useful criteria using quantitative word frequency analysis as well as qualitative literature research. Then, cluster analysis is used to divide these criteria into different categories. Subsequently, this study applies the grey theory associated with the DEMATEL method to assess the sustainability performance of high-tech firms. Findings: The results reveal that the socio-environment is an important aspect underlying the corporate sustainability performance of high-tech firms. Therefore, high-tech firms should enhance their pollution emission control capabilities and increase investment in energy-conservation and emission-reduction technologies to drive sustainable development. In addition, increasing green product sales revenue and improving the guiding capability of green consumption are core issues that firms must address. Originality/value: This study assesses the sustainability performance of high-tech firms by applying a hybrid method. This method can be used to construct a framework for scientific sustainability performance assessment and to provide a clear direction for the sustainable development of firms

What are the determinants of producer services FDI in China? Aggregate and sub-sectoral data analyses

This PhD thesis joins a vibrant conversation in a vastly under researched area pertaining to the determinants of producer services foreign direct investment (FDI). It begins by extensively revisiting the existing literature and discussing critically gaps from past study to then adopt a quantitative research method assisted by secondary data collected from various databases. The research question that this thesis addresses is: “What are the determinants of producer services FDI in China? Aggregate and sub-sectoral data analyses”. With this aim in mind, this thesis employs aggregate as well as provincial and sub-sectoral data obtained from the CEIC Data’s China Premium Database, National Bureau of Statistics of China, Provincial Statistical Yearbooks, Ministry of Commerce of China, Ministry of Transport of China, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as well as a range of other relevant data drawn from national and provincial sources.China is exhibiting an enormous amount of economic and urban development accompanied by a transformation from its past manufacturing-focused economy towards one based on producer services. The conceptual framework developed for this research is guided by the identified research gap found in the literature on the determinants of FDI. The methodology employed is the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration approach and panel data regression techniques to quantitatively investigate the determinants of Chinese producer services FDI at the aggregate and sector-disaggregated level.This research has revealed that there is a significant difference between the determinants of aggregate FDI and Producer Services FDI (PSFDI). The empirical evidence demonstrates that in contrast to the general influencing factors determining aggregate FDI (e.g., GDP, trade openness, low wages and environmental quality), high wages and research intensity are strikingly discovered to have a notable influence on determining PSFDI inflows to China. The evidence captured contends that following appropriate strategies and policies to specifically foster the attraction of PSFDI is of paramount importance for Chinese regulators. Collectively, the main novel findings of this research that make a significant contribution to knowledge rest with a broader understanding of the newly identified determinants of PSFDI inflows in China through a rigorous, evidence-based scientific process of inquiry. The thesis’ contribution adds to ongoing literature by accentuating that China’s aggregate FDI attraction differs from PSFDI’s attraction and that stimulating PSFDI inflows requires different policy measures. The pivotal implication for Chinese policymakers is to develop appropriate policies specifically targeted at attracting inward PSFDI and to implement sub-sector specific policies to encourage PSFDI in those sub-sectors most susceptible to attract PSFDI

エコ産業団地と循環経済型産業の評価指標システムの開発と総合評価

Circulation economy is the inevitable choice of industrialization because of improving the economic efficiency and reducing resource consumption, can fundamentally solve the contradiction between economic growth and environmental protection. The general evaluation of circular economy can be conducted from city level, industrial-park level, and enterprise level. However, the researches on the enterprise level and industrial park level are relatively few, and a unified standard system framework is not yet to be formed. In this study, the circular economy was evaluated for enterprises and eco-industrial parks. The AHP method and the expert consultation questionnaire method are used to establish their respective evaluation index systems and the weights of each index. An eco-industrial park (TEDA) and an enterprise (Tianjin SDIC power plant) as the example, their circular economy levels were conducted the comprehensive evaluation respectively according to established evaluation index systems. The results show that the established evaluation index systems have a good performance.北九州市立大