Determinants of environmental management systems standards implementation: evidence from Greek industry

This paper employs logistic regression analysis to test a model that predicts the implementation or not of Environmental Management Systems Standards (EMSS) by considering various factors as explanatory variables. The dependent variable is a dichotomous as either implementing or not EMSS by industrial firms. From past experience we identify 15 major variables contributing to implementation of EMSS. A sample of 259 respondents (84 implementing and 175 not) is used to estimate the parameters of the logistic regression model employing maximum likelihood. The results show an overall significant model with 4 of the 15 variables significant. The significance of management perception of environmental issues on their decision to implement EMSS was confirmed with regards to their perception on win-win possibilities. Pressure on companies to improve their environmental performance does not result in higher uptake of the standards. Company’s image and size are important factors in its decision to implement EMSS.Environmental Management Systems Standards; environmental performance

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

Optimal sulphur emissions abatement in Europe

This study presents a mathematical model for determining cost effective emissions' control strategies in Europe, by minimizing sulphur abatement costs subject to different pollution control targets. The purpose is to compare the efficiency of a uniform percentage emissions reduction with a scenario that takes variation in environmental conditions into account. Some alternative criteria for re allocating abatement costs between countries are considered, to see which countries are penalized and which are favoured by the proposed approaches, and which approaches should be "preferred" on efficiency grounds. Underlying the proposed model is the belief that a full cost-benefit analysis of acid rain abatement is infeasible. The model focuses on the costs of abatement and provides an estimation of the gains (or losses) that countries could achieve if they co-operate in their policies rather than act independently.Sulphur emissions; abatement; mathematical programming

An application of statistical interference in DEA models: An analysis of public owned university departments' efficiency

This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model formulations in order to determine the performance levels of 16 departments of the University of Thessaly. Particularly, the constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) models have been applied alongside with bootstrap techniques in order to determine accurate performance measurements of the 16 departments. The study illustrates how the recent developments in efficiency analysis and statistical inference can be applied when evaluating institutional performance issues. The paper provides the efficient departments and the target values which need to be adopted from the inefficient departments in order to operate in the most productive scale size (MPSS). Moreover it provides bias corrected estimates alongside with their confidence intervals. The analysis indicates that there are strong inefficiencies among the departments, emphasizing the misallocation of resources or/and inefficient application of departments policy developments.University efficiency; DEA; Bootstrap techniques; Kernel density estimation, Economic research; Europe; University rankings.

Fiscal Policy and Economic Performance: A Review

The economic implications of government expenditure have been shown to be significant and broad. In particular, government spending has been shown to enhance long-run economic growth by increasing the level of human capital and Research and Development (R&D) expenditure, and by improving public infrastructure. On the other hand, there is evidence that a greater size of government spending may be less efficient and therefore not necessarily associated with a better provision of public goods and higher levels of economic growth. Moreover, it is likely that the size of government expenditure and its composition are associated with key aspects of the quality of growth, such as income inequality and environmental sustainability. This paper presents a review of the theoretical and empirical literature on the relationship between fiscal policy and economic activity, both in terms of long-run economic growth and short-term output fluctuations. In general, empirical evidence on these relationships is not robust and remains inconclusive

Optimal sulphur emissions abatement in Europe

This study presents a mathematical model for determining cost effective emissions' control strategies in Europe, by minimizing sulphur abatement costs subject to different pollution control targets. The purpose is to compare the efficiency of a uniform percentage emissions reduction with a scenario that takes variation in environmental conditions into account. Some alternative criteria for re allocating abatement costs between countries are considered, to see which countries are penalized and which are favoured by the proposed approaches, and which approaches should be "preferred" on efficiency grounds. Underlying the proposed model is the belief that a full cost-benefit analysis of acid rain abatement is infeasible. The model focuses on the costs of abatement and provides an estimation of the gains (or losses) that countries could achieve if they co-operate in their policies rather than act independently

Determinants of environmental management systems standards implementation: evidence from Greek industry

This paper employs logistic regression analysis to test a model that predicts the implementation or not of Environmental Management Systems Standards (EMSS) by considering various factors as explanatory variables. The dependent variable is a dichotomous as either implementing or not EMSS by industrial firms. From past experience we identify 15 major variables contributing to implementation of EMSS. A sample of 259 respondents (84 implementing and 175 not) is used to estimate the parameters of the logistic regression model employing maximum likelihood. The results show an overall significant model with 4 of the 15 variables significant. The significance of management perception of environmental issues on their decision to implement EMSS was confirmed with regards to their perception on win-win possibilities. Pressure on companies to improve their environmental performance does not result in higher uptake of the standards. Company’s image and size are important factors in its decision to implement EMSS

Optimal sulphur emissions abatement in Europe

This study presents a mathematical model for determining cost effective emissions' control strategies in Europe, by minimizing sulphur abatement costs subject to different pollution control targets. The purpose is to compare the efficiency of a uniform percentage emissions reduction with a scenario that takes variation in environmental conditions into account. Some alternative criteria for re allocating abatement costs between countries are considered, to see which countries are penalized and which are favoured by the proposed approaches, and which approaches should be "preferred" on efficiency grounds. Underlying the proposed model is the belief that a full cost-benefit analysis of acid rain abatement is infeasible. The model focuses on the costs of abatement and provides an estimation of the gains (or losses) that countries could achieve if they co-operate in their policies rather than act independently

Determinants of environmental management systems standards implementation: evidence from Greek industry

This paper employs logistic regression analysis to test a model that predicts the implementation or not of Environmental Management Systems Standards (EMSS) by considering various factors as explanatory variables. The dependent variable is a dichotomous as either implementing or not EMSS by industrial firms. From past experience we identify 15 major variables contributing to implementation of EMSS. A sample of 259 respondents (84 implementing and 175 not) is used to estimate the parameters of the logistic regression model employing maximum likelihood. The results show an overall significant model with 4 of the 15 variables significant. The significance of management perception of environmental issues on their decision to implement EMSS was confirmed with regards to their perception on win-win possibilities. Pressure on companies to improve their environmental performance does not result in higher uptake of the standards. Company’s image and size are important factors in its decision to implement EMSS