Business Commons^™

A Quarter Century Effort Yet To Come Of Age: A Survey Of Power Sector Reforms In Developing Countries, Tooraj Jamasb, Rabindra Nepal, Govinda Timilsina

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

It has been more than two decades since the widespread initiation of global power sector reforms and restructuring. However, empirical evidence on the intended microeconomic, macroeconomic, and quality-related impacts of reforms across developing countries is lacking. This paper comprehensively reviews the empirical and theoretical literature on the linkages between power sector reforms, economic and technical efficiency, and poverty reduction. The review finds that the extent of power sector reforms has varied across developing countries in terms of changes in market structures, the role of the state, and the regulation of the sector. Overall, the reforms have improved the efficiency and …

Self-Similar Measures In Multi-Sector Endogenous Growth Models, Davide La Torre, Simone Marsiglio, Franklin Mendivil, Fabio Privileggi

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

We analyze two types of stochastic discrete time multi-sector endogenous growth models, namely a basic Uzawa-Lucas (1965, 1988) model and an extended three-sector version as in La Torre and Marsiglio (2010). As in the case of sustained growth the optimal dynamics of the state variables are not stationary, we focus on the dynamics of the capital ratio variables, and we show that, through appropriate log-transformations, they can be converted into affine iterated function systems converging to an invariant distribution supported on some (possibly fractal) compact set. This proves that also the steady state of endogenous growth models-i.e., the stochastic balanced …

Re-Organizing Australian Public Sector Work: Conditions For Innovating-In-Practice, Mary C. Johnsson, Oriana Price, Marie Manidis

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Public sector organizations continue to re-organize in response to reform imperatives but are they more innovative when they transform to market or customer orientations? This paper examines what we call innovating-in-practice in a hospital emergency department, a local government council and a corrections centre by analyzing how work organization dualities are negotiated using a practice theory lens. In public sector work, work dualities and tensions are often created when reform initiatives are introduced, requiring existing work practices to be challenged and changed. Our empirical illustrations expose the messiness and enmeshing of various practitioner interests, relations, materialities and purposes of practice …

Are Low-Skill Public Sector Workers Really Overpaid? A Quasi-Differenced Panel Data Analysis, Peter Siminski

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Public–private sectoral wage differentials have been studied extensively using quantile regression techniques. These typically find large public sector premiums at the bottom of the wage distribution. This may imply that low skill workers are ‘overpaid’, prompting concerns over efficiency. We note several other potential explanations for this result and explicitly test whether the premium varies with skill, using Australian data. We use a quasi-differenced Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) panel data model which has not been previously applied to this topic, internationally. Unlike other available methods, this technique identifies sectoral differences in returns to unobserved skill. It also facilitates a …

Trade Liberalisation, Labour Productivity Growth And Skilled Labour Complement: Evidence From The Thai Manufacturing Sector, Piyapong Sangkaew, Kankesu Jayanthakumaran

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Trade liberalisation in Thailand raised two wider questions regarding the labour market-one with regards to the link with labour productivity and the other the link with skilled workers. This outcome provides a link between (1) trade liberalisation and labour productivity growth, and, (2) skilled employment and labour productivity growth. Trade liberalisation is also correlated with skilled employment. This type of evidence matches conventional explanations for the beneficial allocation of trade liberalisation and demanding skills training for potential future industrial growth.

Development Of A Market Orientation Research Agenda For The Nonprofit Sector, Paul Chad, Elias Kyriazis, Judy M. Motion

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Market orientation is the overarching framework by which practitioners and academics make sense of the interplay between customers, competition, stakeholders, and the organization within the commercial for-profit arena and is the way the marketing concept is put into practice. Many academics have argued that market orientation would also benefit nonprofit organizations by generating more funds in an increasingly competitive environment. The purpose of this article is to conduct a systematic review of market orientation, identify gaps, and develop a research agenda for market orientation research within the underresearched nonprofit sector. This research agenda highlights the structural, human resource, and cultural …

Reforming The Power Sector In Transition: Do Institutions Matter?, Rabindra Nepal, Tooraj Jamasb

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

This paper aims to investigate the often poorly explored link between power sector reforms and wider institutional reforms in the economy across different groups of transition countries. We use panel-data econometrics based on bias corrected dynamic fixed effect analysis (LSDVC) to assess the impact of reforms on macroeconomic and power sector outcomes. The results indicate that power sector reform is highly inter-dependent with wider reforms in other sectors of the economy. The findings indicate that failure to harmonize inter-sector reforms leads to power sector reform measures being ineffective. We conclude that the success of power sector reforms in developing countries …

Migrant Remittances, Financial Sector Development And The Government Ownership Of Banks: Evidence From A Group Of Non-Oecd Economies, Arusha Cooray

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study investigates the influence of migrant remittances on two dimensions of the financial sector, namely, size and efficiency in a sample of 94 non-OECD economies. Evidence suggests that migrant remittances contribute to increasing the size and efficiency of the financial sector. The study, in addition, examines the impact of remittances on financial sector size and efficiency through their interaction with the government ownership of banks. The results suggest that remittances lead to larger increases in financial sector size in countries in which the government ownership of banks is lower, and increases in efficiency in countries in which the government …

How Is Your Boss? Impact Of Transformational Leadership Behavior Of Manager On Customers' Selling Orientation-Special Reference To Corporate Banking Sector In Sri Lanka, Nalin Abeysekera, Ananda Wickramasinghe

Sydney Business School - Papers

Selling is paramount important in marketing and considered as a lifeblood in marketing. Customer oriented selling plays a vital role in this regards .On the other hand, managers need transformational leadership behavior to manage sales staff. This study aims to integrate the concept of customer orientation and transformational leadership of a manager by conceptualizing the concepts in Sri Lankan corporate banking sector. Responses were gathered via a questionnaire survey from a sample of 100 managers and 100 customer relationship officers(CRO). The results provide evidence for the significant relationship between transformational leadership of a manager and their customer orientation.

A Note On Demographic Shocks In A Multi-Sector Growth Model, Simone Marsiglio, Davide La Torre

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

We introduce demographic shocks in a multi-sector endogenous growth model, a-la Uzawa-Lucas. We show that an analytical solution of the stochastic problem can be found, under the restriction that the capital share equals both the inverse of the intertemporal elasticity of substitution and the degree of altruism. We show that uncertainty lowers the optimal levels of consumption and the physical capital stock, while they do not affect the share of human capital employed in production.

Public Sector Commercial Orientation And The Social Contract: A Study Of Performance Management In A Non-Competitive Environment, Ali Rkein, Brian H. Andrew

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to study the workings of commercial orientation, with a focus on performance management, in an environment that is characterised by limited competition between the public and the private sectors and a high level of government social responsibility. Design/methodology/approach - An interpretive case study approach is adopted for this study. It draws on primary data from interviews with key personnel in public sector organisations, and on secondary data from government publications such as annual reports and budget papers. Findings - This study shows that the market-based performance management system has failed to achieve …

Stochastic Shocks In A Two-Sector Solow Model, Simone Marsiglio

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

We study a stochastic, discrete-time, two-sector growth model à la Solow (1956) characterised by perpetual growth. Assuming that exogenous i.i.d. shocks hit the physical production sector, we show that the capital dynamics can be converted, through an appropriate log-transformation, into an iterated function system converging to an invariant distribution supported on a Cantor set.

The Role Of The Government In Financial Sector Development, Arusha Cooray

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study examines the impact of two dimensions of the government, namely, size and quality, on two dimensions of the financial sector, size and efficiency, in a cross section of 71 economies. The study finds that increased quality of the government as measured by governance and legal origin positively influences both financial sector size and efficiency. The size of the government proxied by government expenditure and the government ownership of banks has a negative effect on financial sector efficiency, and a positive impact on financial sector size, particularly in the low income economies.

Fractals And Self-Similarity In Economics: The Case Of A Two-Sector Growth Model, Davide La Torre, Simone Marsiglio, Fabio Privileggi

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

We study a stochastic, discrete-time, two-sector optimal growth model in which the production of the homogeneous consumption good uses a Cobb-Douglas technology, combining physical capital and an endogenously determined share of human capital. Education is intensive in human capital as in Lucas (1988), but the marginal returns of the share of human capital employed in education are decreasing, as suggested by Rebelo (1991). Assuming that the exogenous shocks are i.i.d. and affect both physical and human capital, we build specific configurations for the primitives of the model so that the optimal dynamics for the state variables can be converted, through …

Cross-Sector Research Collaboration In Australia: The Cooperative Research Centres Program At The Crossroads, Tim Turpin, Samuel Garrett-Jones, Richard Woolley

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In this article we trace changes in the institutional and social dynamics that have steered cross-sector R&D collaboration in Australia. Public policy provided the initial push toward cross-sector collaboration. The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program is Australia's most longstanding national arrangement for industry-university-government research collaboration. Over the past two decades the program has grown to become the dominant model for cross-sector R&D cooperation in the country. Because of the size of the program in the Australian innovation system it has also become a major focus for debate about science policy. Universities have now institutionalised this imperative in all sorts of …

Analysing Texts Used To Contribute To The Discharge Of Public Sector Financial Accountability, Graham D. Bowrey, Ciorstan J. Smark

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose – This paper reviews and analyses the discourse recorded in the Hansard of the Australian Federal Parliament’s Senate Legislation Committees to determine if this parliamentary accountability process contributes to the (re)production of dominance and inequality in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on a relatively new approach termed critical investigative inquiry which, in this paper, is based on critical discourse analysis informed and supported by rudimentary content analysis and thematic analysis. Practical implications – This paper provides insights into the use of Senate Legislative Committees as an avenue for elites to exert dominance over those who …

Migrant Remittances, Financial Sector Development And The Government Ownership Of Banks, Arusha V. Cooray

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study investigates the influence of migrant remittances on twodimensions of the financial sector, namely, size and efficiency. Evidence suggests thatmigrant remittances contribute to increasing the size and efficiency of the financialsector. The study, in addition, examines the impact of remittances on financial sectorsize and efficiency through the government ownership of banks channel. While theresults suggest that remittances lead to larger increases in financial sector size incountries in which the government ownership of banks is lower and increases inefficiency in countries in which the government ownership of banks is higher, thegovernment is found to play an important role in promoting …

Endogenous Technological Progress In A Multi-Sector Growth Model, Davide La Torre, Simone Marsiglio

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents an endogenous growth model driven by human capital, where human capital can be allocated across three sectors: the production of the final consumption good, the educational sector and the production of technological capital (in the form of knowledge or ideas). In our model, which also includes public expenditure and population growth, labor augmenting technical progress is endogenous and this enriches the transitional dynamics of the economy. With respect to ideas-based growth models, we assume knowledge is produced according to a neoclassical technology, combining ideas and human capital. Such an assumption is motivated by empirical works showing the …

Corporate Social Responsibility In Public Sector Supply Chains: An Insight, Michael D. Clements, Graham D. Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose- To provide an insight into the level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting in the Australian Commonwealth public sector supply chain. The view is taken that supply chain CSR reports are based solely on the performance and management of individual segments of a supply chain rather than the supply chain in its entirety.

Design/methodology/approach- This paper is a conceptual paper based on an examination of CSR reporting and the practices in public sector supply chains, using a generic Australian Commonwealth public sector supply chain. The direction of this examination is guided by the new public management paradigm …

How Do Vietnamese Smes Perform? Technical Efficiency Of Smes In The Manufacturing Sector And Its Sub-Sectors, Cong Luyen Viet Le, Charles Harvie

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper evaluates the technical efficiency performance of Vietnamese manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) over the period 2002 to 2007. Using firm level data from three surveys in 2002, 2005 and 2007 with a total of 5,204 observations of domestic non-state manufacturing SMEs the paper assesses the technical efficiency level of SMEs for the aggregate manufacturing sector and separately for nine subsectors including: (i) Food and Beverages; (ii) Textiles, Garments and Footwear; (iii) Electrical and Electronic Equipment (iv) Wood and Furniture Products; (v) Chemical, Rubber and Plastic Products; (vi) Paper, Printing and Publishing; (vii) Metal Products; (viii) Non-metallic Products; …

Supply Chain Integration In New Zealand: Benchmark Comparisons With The Uk Automotive Sector, Tillmann Boehme, Paul Childerhouse, Eric Deakins, Denis Towill

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Supply chain integration is a promising approach to cross-enterprise process improvement that is still not wellunderstood. This research investigates the level of sophistication (maturity) of supply chain integration in New Zealandfrom the systems uncertainty perspective. Uncertainty levels of value streams are evaluated using the 'uncertainty circle'concept, thereby enabling benchmark comparisons of value stream performance. A sample of 21 NZ process industryvalue streams is assessed using a so-called Quick Scan Audit Methodology (QSAM). and the uncertainty resultscompared with those obtained from 21 value streams in the UK automotive sector. This benchmarking revealed thatvalue streams in New Zealand are weakly integrated and …

Does The Size And Quality Of The Government Explain The Size And Efficiency Of The Financial Sector?, Arusha V. Cooray

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study examines the impact of two dimensions of thegovernment, namely, size and quality, on two dimensions of thefinancial sector, size and efficiency, in a cross section of 71economies. The study finds that while increased quality of thegovernment as measured by governance and legal origin positivelyinfluence both financial sector size and efficiency, that the size ofthe government proxied by government expenditure andgovernment ownership of banks, has a negative effect on financialsector efficiency, however, a positive impact on financial sector size,particularly in the low income economies.

Factors Impacting The Adoption And Use Of Ict In The Malaysian Sme Sector, Ali S. Saleh, Lois Burgess

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

A review of extant literature reveals that little attention has been given to research into the level of ICT infrastructure among SMEs, as well as examining the factors that limit the use of ICT in these organizations. Earlier studies have mainly focused on the services sector. Hence, there is a need to conduct further empirical research across area range of industry sectors to better understand the challenges confronting SMEs that hinder the adoption and use of ICT. The aim of this paper is to conduct an empirical investigation to identify the barriers that limit the adoption of Information and Communication …

Public Sector Gambling: Local Council Investment Exposures, Graham Bowrey, Greg Jones

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Local councils in New South Wales (NSW) have the authority to invest ratepayers' money that is not currently required for any other purpose by the council. At the end of 2006-07 financial year local councils in New South Wales had invested $590 million dollars in structured financial products such as collateralised debt obligations (CDO). By the end of January 2008, six months later, the market value of these investments dropped $200 million to $390 million. Since then the financial investment market has further significantly reduced with the value of the councils' investments losing many more millions of dollars. In NSW …

The Financial Sector And Economic Growth, Arusha V. Cooray

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The Mankiw-Romer-Weil (1992) augmented Solow-Swan (Solow 1956; Swan 1956) model is extended to incorporate the financial sector in this study. Distinguishing between financial capital, physical capital and human capital, the research attempts to identify, in particular, the effects of financial capital on economic growth. The effects of financial sector efficiency on economic growth are also examined. The financial sector augmented model is tested on a cross-section of 35 economies. Strong support is found for the model.

Australian Commonwealth Public Sector Environmental Reporting In A New Public Managerialism Environment, Graham D. Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose : The primary purpose of this paper is to argue that the adherence [and lack of] to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 reporting requirements by Australian Commonwealth organisations, including Commonwealth Agencies, Commonwealth Statutory Authorities and Commonwealth Companies, can be explained by the influence of the pervasive new public managerialism (NPM) mentality within the sector.Design/methodology/approach : The paper is based on a qualitative review of the environmental performance and management reporting for a sample of 26 material Commonwealth public sector organisations with specific reference to Section 516A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Findings …

Call Centres And The Quality Of Work Life: A Public/Private Sector Comparison, Zeenobiyah N. Hannif

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The quality of work life is a traditionally under-researched area where call centres (CC) are concerned. Similarly, much of the existing call centre research is based on the private sector despite the public sector emerging as a large user of CC operations. This paper is based on empirical research conducted in two Australian CC’s to explore whether and how the quality of work life varies between the two sectors. Findings relating to three quality of work life elements are reported: job content, working hours & work-life balance, and managerial/supervisory style and strategies. Public sector call centre Govtcall emerges as being …

Macroeconomic Risk Factors In Australian Commercial Real Estate, Listed Property Trust And Property Sector Stock Returns, Tracey West, Andrew C. Worthington

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper employs a Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity in Mean (GARCH-M) model to consider the effect of macroeconomic factors on Australian property returns over the period 1985 to 2002. Three direct (office, retail and industrial property) and two indirect (listed property trust and property stock) returns are included in the analysis, along with market returns, short, medium and long-term interest rates, expected and unexpected inflation, construction activity and industrial employment and production. In general, the macroeconomic factors examined are found to be significant risk factors in Australian commercial property returns. However, the results also indicate that forecast accuracy in these …

Appraising Performance In Public Sector Organisations: Critical Discourse Perspectives, Christa Wood

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the performance appraisal system that has been implemented in some public service organisations in line with the changes to a more commercialized structure. In an effort to change the behaviours and attitudes of public servants, performance appraisal systems have incorporated the new values and desired behaviours. Although a myriad of studies exist in regards to the new public management and on the topic of performance appraisal systems, there are few critical management studies of the implementation and operation of performance appraisal in the public sector. To date, most critical studies of performance appraisal have concentrated on the …

Managing Mission, Members And Money: A Financial Analysis Model For The Nonprofit Sector, Anne Abraham

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Nonprofit organisations (NPOs) are melting pots combining mission, members and money. Given that the mission of a nonprofit organisation is the reason for its existence, it is appropriate to focus on financial resources in their association with mission and with the individuals who are served by that mission (Parker 2003; Wooten et al 2003; Colby and Rubin 2005). Measurement of financial perfonnance by ratio analysis helps identify organisational strengths and weaknesses by detecting financial anomalies and focusing attention on issues of organisational importance (Glynn et al 2003).

Questions have been raised that relate the perfonnance of NPOs to their financial …