African Journal of Business Management最新文献

{"title":"RESILIENCE AND COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS:A PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTHCARE","authors":"D. Araja","doi":"10.32025/jbm22006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32025/jbm22006","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose. The term “healthcare system resilience” is becoming topical in policy planning documents around the world, increasingly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aimed to explore the role of the contextual framework in the research on resilience and prevailing aspects of the healthcare system’s resilience. Design / methodology / approach. The research hypothesised on the increasing relevance of the concept of resilience in the healthcare system as demonstrated by scientific literature; on determining elements that characterise the interrelationship between the domains of the healthcare system and the concept of resilience; and on the role of the contextual framework in creating an awareness of the concept of resilience in the healthcare system. The hypotheses were verified by the literature review on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Findings. The concept of resilience was introduced to the healthcare system literature from the ecological sciences through an increased understanding of the healthcare system as a complex adaptive system (CAS). The perception of the nature of the healthcare system in the context of a CAS, viewing it as a complex, dynamic part of the socio-economic system, operating in circumstances of high uncertainty, provides additional opportunities for understanding the healthcare system’s functioning, governance and decision-making. Originality / value. This study identified a research gap in the practical implementation of the CAS approach in the healthcare system on the highest level of governance. A CAS contains a multitude of characteristics and elements that could assist in attaining a more nuanced understanding of healthcare system resilience. Significantly, the inherent characteristics of a CAS, such as flexibility and an adaptive nature, which seem to undermine the stability of the system, actually create the core of this system’s resilience, and these aspects merit increased attention. Further research could be devoted to the investigation of healthcare system resilience in the context of healthcare system reforms. Keywords: healthcare system, contextual framework, organization, governance, ecological approach, networks","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73600014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Entrepreneurial orientation and SMEs success factors","authors":"Janis Gercans","doi":"10.32025/jbm22003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32025/jbm22003","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose. Drawing on the concept of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and the aspect of top management style, this study attempts to find the factors that lead small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to success in business. Methodology. In this study, a survey of 110 Latvian and Swedish forestry contracting companies’ top managers was conducted. Quantitative and qualitative research methods are applied to assess the companies’ performance and the factors driving the companies’ success. A questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, principal component analysis, the Mann–Whitney U test and text coding were used to test the hypotheses and answer the research questions. Findings. EO-inherent SMEs, compared to their conservative counterparts, have a significantly higher number of employees, turnover, profit and return on asset rate. The differentiating success factors for EO-inherent SMEs are (a) employees’ contribution, treatment of employees and teamwork, (b) quality of manufacturing services and efficiency of company internal processes, (c) activity in improving collaboration processes with the buyer, (d) control of company operations, (e) the use of new technologies and machinery in manufacturing, and (f) high demands of manufacturing service buyers. Meanwhile, unfair competition, difficulties in raising funds and overall political instability in the country are considered as hindering factors for the success of EO-inherent SMEs. Value. The findings of this study contribute to the literature on entrepreneurial orientation in the SME context, characterising the success factors and differentiating style of SMEs’ top managers in creating a growing and high-performing company. Keywords: entrepreneurial orientation, success factors, performance, forestry SMEs. Paper category: research paper.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80307763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intellectual capital and competitiveness of industrial enterprises of the Baltic countries","authors":"E. Pancenko, N. Titova","doi":"10.32025/jbm22005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32025/jbm22005","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction to the topic under investigation. With the transition to the information economy, intellectual capital is becoming increasingly important and can be considered as a source of formation of the competitiveness of an enterprise. It should also be noted that despite the many approaches to assessing competitiveness, not all of them withstand criticism or are widely used in practice. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to analyze the intellectual capital and competitiveness of industrial enterprises of the Baltic states. Methodology. The study uses quantitative and qualitative methods; the value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) was used to assess intellectual capital, while the dynamic method and rating assessment of financial indicators were used to assess the competitiveness of enterprises. Main results. The paper analyses the competitiveness of enterprises and calculates the value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) of industrial enterprises whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq Baltic market. The study confirms that more efficient use of intellectual capital provides higher indicators of competitiveness of an enterprise; however, the competitiveness of an enterprise is influenced by other factors, for example, the sources of financing used. The theoretical contribution. The dynamic method of assessing the competitiveness of enterprises was employed; it was shown that more effective use of intellectual capital provides an enterprise with competitive advantages. Practical implications. To assess the competitiveness of an enterprise, we use a refined dynamic method, which is supplemented by the VAIC indicator, which will allow us to take into account in the assessment the effectiveness of the use of the intellectual capital of an enterprise. Keywords: intellectual capital, competitiveness, value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC), dynamic method of competitiveness, rating assessment of financial indicators.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91185006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local economic development in Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipalities: An empirical investigation","authors":"M. Ngatiane, Noluntu. S. Dyubhele, H. Lloyd","doi":"10.5897/AJBM2017.8343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM2017.8343","url":null,"abstract":"Albeit in its infancy, South Africa’s LED practice is a benchmark of a large number of African countries in general and southern African countries in particular. The practice stand out for its massive and growing LED budgets, robust legal and a variety of  LED governance structures, amongst others. This study seeks to answer three critical questions: What LED facets (particular aspects) are available in literature?  Are these facets being implemented in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM)?  Besides the effort and monies invested in ingraining LED in South Africa, are the levels of LED practices of the two municipalities deeply embedded in literature? This paper utilises the purpose-built tool to measure the level at which LED practice in the two municipalities is embedded in LED theory. The analysis revealed presence of six key LED facets, namely, enterprise development, locality development, livelihoods development, workforce development, community development and LED Governance. Furthermore, the results show that NMBM’s LED practice is embedded in literature across all the identified; while BCMM’s LED practice is embedded across all the facets bar community development. \u0000 \u0000   \u0000 \u0000 Key words: Local Economic Development, embeddedness, Local Economic Development, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"12 1","pages":"299-308"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78514221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review of knowledge management and its application in the contemporary business environment","authors":"Imhanzenobe Japhet, Adejumo Olaoluwa, Ikpesu Olapeju","doi":"10.5897/ajbm2021.9223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm2021.9223","url":null,"abstract":"The quest for a better way of enhancing firm performance has led to the discovery of knowledge as a unique and firm-specific resource for achieving competitive advantage. Knowledge management has gained the attention of practitioners and scholars in recent times. Knowledge management involves obtaining the right set of information and making them available to the right people, at the right time. When an adequate knowledge management system is in place, employees can create, share and re-use knowledge. Existing literature shows that knowledge management is still evolving and factors like intellectual capital, innovation and knowledge application play a significant mediating role in its effect on firm performance. Also, knowledge management processes ought to be followed by effective knowledge management implementation strategies to avoid knowledge proliferation and structuration. Modern businesses are gradually evolving from document-based knowledge management systems towards people-based knowledge management systems as a result of higher capacity for improvement and alignment of knowledge management strategies. Modern businesses also try to foster the effectiveness of their knowledge management process through gamification. Several challenges and limitations to knowledge management like organizational culture, lack of knowledge sharing incentive, cultural differences, lack of proper information structures and change management issues were also identified.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76315870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A meta-synthesis of trade logistics influence on international trade","authors":"Ojenya Salawu Yekini, Mohammadreza Ghadiri Seyed","doi":"10.5897/ajbm2021.9279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm2021.9279","url":null,"abstract":"Logistics systems are inexplicably linked to trade and investment, and their significance in describing a country’s competitiveness in an increasingly globalized world is growing. Improved trade logistics, in conjunction by a way of more economic liberalization climate, increased volume and size of trade, as well as reach in distribution and production activities. With careful reviews, the study discussed a metasynthesis of trade logistics influence on international trade where about twenty-two papers across publishers were analyzed to observe their findings. According to several reports, the availability and consistency of physical infrastructure for effective transportation and logistics services, regulations, poor implementation, procedures, corruption at ports, and cargo handling costs all got a significant influence on a trade and competitiveness performance of the Nation. In order to meet consumer demand, exporting companies could develop reverse logistics systems while focusing on sustainable development. However, to make the understanding of the level of logistics of trade impacts on international trade, the response of logistics growth in international trade requires more in-depth research.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"84 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88969635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumers purchase attitudes toward Shanzhai products: An empirical study of Chinese consumers","authors":"Chen Xi, Wang Yun","doi":"10.5897/ajbm2019.8818","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm2019.8818","url":null,"abstract":"Shanzhai products have witnessed a huge growth China market. Although the shanzhai problem has been discussed in the literature, most of the studies are mainly literature review, practical report, or theoretical analysis. Empirical research remains scarce, especially the examination of underlying key purchase determinants of shanzhai purchase from consumer behavior perspective. This study embeds the shanzhai phenomenon into the consumer behavior literature by unveiling the underlying mechanism of drivers of its purchase, and identifying the relationship between the purchase determinant and its purchase attitude, besides, understanding the link between the attitude and the purchase behavior intention. Specifically, it conducts a quantitative survey with 200 undergraduate consumers in China market and uses the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique to test the hypothesized relationships. The study unravels those consumers’ intentions to buy shanzhai products are dependent on the attitudes they have toward shanzhai, which in turn are influenced by degree of satisfaction, product attributes and price preference, but not by social influence. The paper reinforces the mediator role of attitude in the relationship between the antecedents and behavioral intentions of shanzhai purchase, and it contributes to inform policy makers and product managers of the main predictors of consumer’s attitudes toward shanzhai. Therefore, shanzhai should continue to offer good price and innovative features, interesting product design and improved product experience, and increase satisfaction of customers.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"323 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91460346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ownership structure, financing constraints and inefficient investment: empirical analyses of \u0000Chinese data","authors":"Tu Hong-xing","doi":"10.5897/ajbm2021.9287","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm2021.9287","url":null,"abstract":"Using the data of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2008 to 2017, this paper empirically tests the moderating role of ownership structure between financing constraints and inefficient investment. The study found that rational use of the moderating effect of ownership structure is of great significance to improve the investment efficiency of enterprises. When there are financing constraints, managerial ownership is more sensitive to the improvement of inefficient investment. The concentration of equity strengthens the sensitivity of insufficient investment caused by financing constraints, intensifies the degree of insufficient investment of enterprises, and the state-owned holding enterprises are more affected. On this basis, the paper puts forward relevant policy suggestions to improve the inefficient investment of enterprises.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84212800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application to Risk Management as Part of the Transition of the Quality Management System from ISO 17025 v2005 to ISO 17025 v2017: Case of MULTILAB Laboratory in Tunisia","authors":"Ines Harzli","doi":"10.12691/JBMS-9-3-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12691/JBMS-9-3-5","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Accreditation ensures a very high level of control of the risks that laboratories may face during their cycle regardless of a systemic situation, internal or external change or even in a state of crisis. MULTILAB, which is an Agri-Food and Environmental analysis laboratory, decided in 2018 to start the project accreditation for the microbiological analysis unit according to the new version of the ISO / CEI 17025: 2017 standard. This study evaluates 3 processes at MULTILAB to identify, evaluate, and control all the risks related to each process using a risk management process. The aim of this study is to reduce the identified risks of the 3 chosen processes in MULTILAB to ensure a complete identification of probable risks to enable then the laboratory to succeed the transition and accreditation project. Methods: This study was performed from March to May 2018 in MULTILAB. The samples chosen for the study were 3 processes of MULTILAB; Monitoring and Measurement as a management process, Request Review as realization process and Provision of Skills as a support process. The internal process sheets which include all the data relating to the processes were used to collect data. The risks are defined according to the 5M method and the risk process used comprised 3 phases; identification, assessment and action phase. To evaluate the risks, different rating benchmarks were used for each process. After the definition of the risk’s likelihood and severity, the criticality was calculated and then the priority number was defined for all risks. For the action phase, different actions were defined according to the priority level of each risk in each process to reduce or eliminate risks. Results: The total number of identified risks was 85 in MULTILAB; Skills Provisioning process had the majority of identified risks (37 risks), Monitoring and Measurement process represented 25 risks and Request Review process had the lowest number of risks (23 risks). Regarding the 5M method, in a total of 3 processes, the highest number of identified risks belongs to the Methods (30 risks) and there are no risks that belong to Machines within MULTILAB. Regarding the treatment priorities, the majority of the identified risks for the three processes were moderate risks. Conclusion: A risk management approach is necessary to succeed not just in the accreditation project according to the new version of the ISO17025: 2017 standard but also to succeed in all next projects and to ensure the credibility of the tests carried out. Most of the risks identified do not require immediate action, but permanent control and monitoring can mitigate and even eliminate them completely.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"69 1","pages":"130-144"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81458212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge positioning and innovation in strategic alignment for SESCO and Saudi Arabias economy based on its 2030 vision","authors":"Hana J M Alotaibi","doi":"10.5897/AJBM2021.9276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM2021.9276","url":null,"abstract":"The transition of economies to become more knowledge-based has compelled companies to adapt to a greatly changing environment through an emphasis on knowledge sharing and positioning, and alignment with innovation, and its products/services and the market. For Saudi Arabia to achieve its 2030 Vision, this focus on developing knowledge-intensive capabilities, collaboration with other organisations, human capital, R and D, innovative thinking, and so on, has become critical. Interviews with three strategic managers at SESCO during the last quarter of 2020 were conducted to ascertain the positional relationship and alignment between knowledge, innovation, and product/service/market. The findings confirmed it is an example of a successful case of readiness for the Saudi 2030 Vision. In contrast with a decade ago, SESCO now has a greater focus on strategic knowledge positioning and sustained innovation, which are also strategically aligned with the third. The same was also explored for Saudi companies in general. The study did not only establish the importance of positioning of all three components, but also their mutual integration and alignment. \u0000 \u0000   \u0000 \u0000 Key words: Innovation, strategy, knowledge-management.","PeriodicalId":7666,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Business Management","volume":"244 1","pages":"232-241"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85157436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}