Ethics and taxation : a cross-national comparison of UK and Turkish firms

This paper investigates responses to tax related ethical issues facing busines

Infrastructure performance and reform in developing and transition economies: evidence from a survey of productivity measures

The authors review about 80 studies on electricity and gas, water and sanitation, and rail and ports (with a footnote on telecommunications) in developing countries. The main policy lesson is that there is a difference in the relevance of ownership for efficiency between utilities and transport in developing countries. In transport, private operators have tended to perform better than public operators. For utilities, ownership often does not matter as much as sometimes argued. Most cross-country studies find no statistically significant difference in efficiency scores between public and private providers. As for the country-specific studies, some do find differences in performance over time but these differences tend to matter much less than a large number of other variables. Across sectors, private operators functioning in a competitive environment or regulated under price caps or hybrid regulatory regimes tend to catch up best practice faster than public operators. There is a very strong case to push regulators in developing and transition economies toward a more systematic reliance on yardstick competition in a sector in which residual monopoly powers tend to be common.Enterprise Development&Reform,Labor Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Banks&Banking Reform,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Health Economics&Finance

Impact of Privatization on Health Sector in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of its health projects for privatization within the framework of the economic transformation adopted by the government. The objectives of the research are to examine the impact of privatization on the health sector in terms of government expenditure, beneficiary satisfaction, improve management, and improvement of the working environment of health practitioners. In this study, the descriptive quantitative approach was used, primary data collected by distribute questionnaire to 200 respondents. The data were analyzed by means of several statistical methods and data tests, which include: descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, factor analysis, and reliability and regression analysis using the SPSS program. This study concluded that privatization has a positive impact on dependent variables (government expenditure, beneficiary satisfaction, management improvement, and improvement of the working environment of health practitioners). Based on the results of the study, a set of recommendations were presented. Keywords: Privatization, Health Sector, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Government Expenditure, Beneficiary Satisfaction, Management improvement, Working Environment of Health Practitioners. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-36-10 Publication date: December 31st 202

The Public to Private Continuum Measure and the Role of Stakeholder Boards as a Proxy for Markets in the Governance of Air Navigation Services: A Comparative Analysis

This article studies institutional arrangements for governance of air navigation services employing a comparative analysis of six nations: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In each of these countries other than the  United States, a board of  directors composed of stakeholder representatives manages  an  independent  air  navigation  services  organization  that  is  not  a  traditional government bureau.In this article we assess how boards of public organizations can act as a proxy for market feedback  in  the  provision  of  public  services. We use this concept to develop a more sensitive measure of the degree of publicness and privateness in organizations. We test our Public-Private Continuum Measure using a  comparative analysis of  air navigation services  in six  countries. Our Public-Private Continuum Measure advances  the measurement of the public to private continuum from the use of an ordinal measure to a continuous measure. Further research is needed to test this measure in studies that place organizations  on  the  continuum  and  determine  how  the  degree  of  public-privateness correlates with organizational performance measures. Armed with this tool, governments can make more accurate decisions about the degree of public-privateness desired for the provision of public goods

Unraveling the Shift to the Entrepreneurial Economy

A major shift in the organization of developed economies has been taking place: away from what has been characterized as the managed economy towards the entrepreneurial economy, or what Kirchhoff (1994) has called dynamic capitalism. In particular, the empirical evidence provides consistent support that (1) the role of entrepreneurship has significantly increased, and (2) a positive relationship exists between entrepreneurial activity and economic performance. However, the factors underlying this observed shift have not been identified in a systematic manner. The purpose of this paper is to suggest some of the factors leading to this shift and implications for public policy. In particular, we find that technological change is a fundamental catalyst underlying the shift from the managed to the entrepreneurial economy. However, it was not just technological change but rather involved a multitude of factors, ranging from the demise of the communist system, increased globalization, new competition for multinational firms and higher levels of prosperity. Recognition of the causes of the shift from the managed to the entrepreneurial economy implies a shift in public policy directions. Rather than to focus of directly and exclusively on promoting new firms and small firms, it may be that the current approach to entrepreneurship policy is misguided. The priority should not be on entrepreneurship policy but rather a more pervasive and encompassing approach, policy consistent with an entrepreneurial economy.

Business plan of a rural hotel in the country of Sertã "Hotel do Rio"

O turismo é um fenómeno multidimensional e tornou-se num dos sectores de atividade mais importante de todo o mundo, apresentando uma relevância especial para o desenvolvimento económico de um país. Sendo um produto turístico em pleno desenvolvimento, o turismo rural procura aspetos simples e autênticos combinando serviços com atividades enriquecedoras, sem o transformar num turismo convencional, onde as especificações de cada destino refletem os drivers potenciadores de cada região. O objetivo deste projeto é criar um hotel rural – Hotel do Rio – através da reabilitação de um edifício já existente, a fim de superar a falta de alojamento existente no concelho da Sertã. Deste modo, este projeto baseia-se na preservação local e identidade regional, no uso sustentável dos recursos naturais e na valorização dos produtos regionais, realçando o turismo rural na região e contribuindo para o desenvolvimento sustentável d o município da Sertã. A metodologia adotada teve em vista a criação de um plano de negócios, numa linha condutora coerente que incluiu um resumo, os objetivos e a identificação dos fatores chaves de sucesso. Além disso, englobou uma boa análise do mercado e do sector e uma definição do target, produto e marketing-mix, seguida de uma completa análise financeira para avaliar e sustentar corretamente o projeto. Os resultados obtidos revelam que o projeto de investimento é economicamente viável, apresentando um VAL positivo de 95.439,55 Euros, uma TIR de 17,62% e um payback period de 12 anos.Tourism is a multidimensional phenomenon and has become one of the most important business sectors all over the world, presenting a particular relevance for the economic development of a country. As a tourist product in full development , rural tourism seeks simple and authentic experiences by combining services with enriching activities without turning it into conventional tourism, where the specifications of each destination reflect the enhancer drivers of each region. The aim of the project is to create a rural hotel – Hotel do Rio - through the rehabilitation of an existing building in order to overcome the lack of accommodation that exists in the county of Sertã. Thus, this project is based on the local preservation and regional identity, the sustainable use of the natural resources and the valuation of its local products, enhancing the rural tourism in the region and contributing for the sustainable development of Sertã. The adopted methodology was based on the creation of a business plan, presenting its essential line which included an executive summary, objectives and identification of the key factor for the project to be successful. Besides, it encompassed a good market and business analysis, a definition of the target and its marketing-mix, followed by a complete financial analysis to properly evaluate and sustain the project. The results have shown that the proposed investment project is economically viable, presenting a positive VAL of 95,439.55 Euros, a TIR of 17.62% and payback period of 12 years