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This study is an analysis of how a set of factors influenced the decision to adopt information and communication technologies (ICTs) in small businesses in Colombia; for this purpose, a logistic modeling is applied, wherein the explained variable represents the companies' decision to adopt ICTs. The main explanatory elements include demographic aspects of the owner, the company characteristics, and the legal practice of the company and its social capital. Data from the Microbusiness Survey 2019 conducted by the National Administrative Department of Statistics of Colombia were employed. The results show that traits such as owner age and gender affect adoption. Furthermore, variables such as the age and size of the company, the amount of computer equipment, business formalization practices, and social capital influence the use of these technologies. Therefore, it follows that the individual features of business owners are also determinants of technology adoption, and their inclusion becomes essential to supplement the analysis of these issues. In addition, the study supports the evidence that the acceptance of these technologies is positively related to the business size and infrastructure. By exploring, for example, the business formalization factor, a positive effect is obtained; consequently, the implementation of legal practices is linked to the ICT use. Thus, some of the areas for policy implementation would be, on one hand, the endowment of computer equipment, since it is a critical aspect in these small businesses, for which a subsidy policy for the acquisition of devices would be useful. In addition, the promotion of business formalization practices could lead to an improvement in the firm's culture of technology use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Panorama Económico is the property of Universidad de Cartagena and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios Gerenciales is the property of Universidad ICESI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Virtual Universidad Católica del Norte is the property of Revista Virtual Universidad Catolica del Norte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We study firm responses to a large‐scale change in apprenticeship regulation in Colombia. The reform requires firms to train, setting apprentice quotas that vary discontinuously in firm size. We document strong heterogeneity in responses across sectors, where firms in sectors with high skill requirements tend to avoid training apprentices, while firms in low‐skill sectors seek apprentices. Guided by these reduced‐form findings, we structurally estimate firms' training costs. Especially in high‐skill sectors, many firms face large training costs, limiting their willingness to train apprentices. Yet, we find substantial overall benefits of expanding apprenticeship training, in particular when the supply of trained workers increases in general equilibrium. Finally, we show that counterfactual policies taking into account heterogeneity across sectors can deliver similar benefits from training while inducing less distortions in the firm‐size distribution and in the allocation of resources across sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of International Entrepreneurship is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios Gerenciales is the property of Universidad ICESI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper compares labor market flows between a developing economy, Colombia, and a developed one, the United States (US). In a comparative framework, we explore measures of labor market flows across dimensions such as firm size, age, and economic sector. This comparison allows us testing, for both countries, a series of interesting hypothesis suggested in the literature, namely the negative systematic relationship between firm size/age and employment growth rate. We find that labor market fluidity in the US labor market is substantially higher than in Colombia and that the churning rate is twice as high for the US market as it is for the Colombian one. We argue that this fluidity gap between the two economies can be explained by, among other factors, the rigid nature of Colombian labour market institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This basic, quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research aims to empirically examine the impact of IT governance on business-IT alignment. Method: This study adopts the Structural Equation Model (SEM) technique with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to evaluate the relationship between IT governance and business-IT alignment, testing three basic hypotheses on the data collected from 672 web-based surveys of companies in Colombia. Main finding: IT governance significantly and directly affects business-IT alignment, but there are no differences in such influence as per industry type or company size. Limitations: This study only considered companies located in Colombia with a limited sample size in several industry types, which may become a possibility for further studies. Additionally, the data collected relies on the honesty of respondents and is not completely free of bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the extent to which the intra-industry knowledge spillover and a firm's alliance portfolio diversity have an effect on product innovation performance and the growth of different size of firms. A model was proposed and empirically tested using structural equation modelling with Bayesian estimation. The data was extracted from the Colombian innovation survey EDIT from 2011 to 2016 and comprised a sample of 913 manufacturing firms. The results demonstrated that less-developed and resource-scarce settings, such as Colombia, foster interfirm collaboration regardless of their size. Nevertheless, even when considered the positive and significant effect of collaboration, spillovers are the most relevant external knowledge source in explaining the product innovation performance and growth of small and medium firms. The findings also showed that knowledge spillovers can be detrimental to the large firms' outcomes, possibly associated with a weaker appropriability regime and the loss of knowledge derived from outgoing spillovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of the process innovation on export propensity in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) firms and non-KIBS firms in Colombia. Design/methodology/approach: For the empirical application, the authors use a unique primary data set drawn from the Global Competitiveness Project (GCP: www.gcp.org) that includes information for 57 Colombian KIBS for 2019. The authors use a binary choice model to test the proposed hypotheses on the relevance of KIBS and process innovation in explaining export propensity. Findings: The results showed a positive relationship between KIBS and business size with an export propensity, but this relationship is non-meaningful. Also, the findings showed a negative and non-significant relationship between a process innovation and business age with the probability to export. On the other hand, the evidence state that KIBS firms encourage the relationship between propensity to export and process innovation, which is to say that they are highly effective to increase the propensity to export. Finally, the industry increases the probability of export propensity. Originality/value: This study offers a new insight relating to KIBS, process innovation and their contribution to increasing export propensity. The findings of this paper offer relevant information to government policymakers to design strategies that promote export activity in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By estimating a stochastic frontier production function that links labor and capital variables in 410 agricultural companies, the behavior of the agricultural productive efficiency in Colombia was evaluated, as well as its effects by geographic location and business size. Results showed that the factors that contribute most to the production function are related to the labor force, business liquidity and intangible assets, aspects that provide competitive advantages for medium and large companies; therefore, we suggest to improve the political-private strategy of business management with incentives for associativity, economic financing, access to R+D+i and transfer, directed to small agricultural companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with a single constant input to analyze the competitiveness performance of a unique sample of 103 knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms from Hungary, Spain, Colombia, and Costa Rica for the year 2017. Also, we assess how the configuration of competitive pillars--strengths and weaknesses-- affects efficiency and how firm size moderates this relationship. The mean efficiency scores by which the competitiveness output can be optimized is 47.43%. The results suggest that the configuration of competitive pillars has important implications for efficiency analyses. For small businesses, competitive-enhancing actions should focus on mitigating competitive weaknesses that are detrimental to efficiency. Also, a configuration of competitive pillars in which one or various competitive strengths prevail is more beneficial for small businesses. Managerial tools such as the proposed competitiveness measure may offer useful information on what strategic actions can contribute to optimize business competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Gerenciales is the property of Universidad ICESI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Quality of work (QoW) encompasses multiple objective and subjective dimensions, which may include labor income, job stability, job satisfaction, and social security. This paper follows the method proposed by Gómez-Salcedo et al. (2013) that introduces a new way of measuring QoW, which consists of (1) the use of Sen's functioning and capabilities approach and (2) a fuzzy sets method to define membership to the sets of good job quality. Using the Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares, we obtain results at the national level about age, gender, educational level, firm size, and industry sector. The results are consistent with previous literature. One topic that is highlighted from our results is the existence of a 'Quality of Work Life Cycle', with higher levels of the index up to age 30, that may have critical implications for the social security system; people with lower quality jobs may not be contributing to health and pension funds, leaving many people without access to a retirement fund and implying more demands on the subsidized system to cover health expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyzes Colombia׳s space policy: its successes, its failures and what it still needs to achieve. The paper examines the interaction among the different players, and how this policy contributes to economic and social development of the country. And postulates that, unless a real national plan of action, with specific milestones and budget as well as a managing agency are developed, this policy may be in danger of disappearing. The Colombian Space Commission (Comisión Colombiana del Espacio, or CCE) was created by Presidential Decree 2442 in 2006. It is a multi-sectorial entity, in charge of coordinating, planning, and leading in the implementation of national policies for the development and application of space technologies. The CCE was also charged with the drafting of plans and programs in this field. The CCE began with only a few members (15) and today is comprised of 47 members: 13 ministries, 4 administrative departments, another 21 governmental entities and 9 universities, the latter acting as consultants. The Vice-President of the Republic is the President of the CCE. These different actors gave great importance to the development of Colombia׳s space sector, and 6 years later, they are continuing support and development the country׳s space policy. This analysis takes into account three aspects: first, achieving the objectives of the CCE: the creation and development of a national space policy for Colombia; secondly, focussing on “target groups” and “end users”; and thirdly, the “outcomes” or achievements to date. Some conclusions are worth highlighting: first, the warm reception and support of the CCE by both the public and private sectors on high levels, but the poor knowledge of the national space policy by the Colombian people and the small and medium companies. Secondly, in the context of public policy [9], the strategic plan called “National Policy in regard to Space Activities”, is caught between two phases: the formulation and decision-making regarding the program, and its implementation. And finally, the members of the CCE do not necessarily act in accordance with a national strategy, but follow their own interests, resulting in undue influence (and perhaps interference) in the development of a coherent national space policy. In brief, the author hopes that this first analysis of Colombia׳s experience with its Space Commission will serve as an example to other developing countries that also are seeking to develop their space sector, and implement a national space policy. Further, the author hopes that this analysis will allow the various politico-administrative actors “policy makers” in Colombia, as well as the general public, to realize that, while much has been accomplished, much still remains to be done. It is essential to keep alive the interest shown in space activities; otherwise, Colombia׳s space policy may become an “endangered species”, in danger of failing and disappearing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we analyze the historical returns of the companies listed on the Colombian stock exchange, from January 2004 until June 2012, in order to determine the possible presence of a risk premium in smaller companies relative to larger ones. This premium is known as Size Effect and it has been found that it is significant after adjusting of risk by Capital Asset Pricing Model. The results obtained in this work for the stock market in Colombia do not show the presence of an additional risk premium due to the size of enterprises, rejecting both size effect and reverse size effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ownership concentration and firm size on value relevance of two accounting variables, earnings and book value, given by firms listed in Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2009. Using pooled cross-sectional data regressions, the study finds that the value relevance of earnings and book value is below average. The value relevance of ownership concentrated firms is higher than that of ownership non-concentrated firms. Further, the two variables show higher value relevance for larger firms than for smaller firms. Contrary to the previous findings of the author, the study finds that book value is more value relevant than the earnings in Sri Lanka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use information from surveys of economic expectations to see if the effect of monetary policy differs between large and small companies. The methodology used is vector autoregressions with regime change, MS-BVAR. According to the impulse response functions, to a shock in interest rates, the business climate both large and small companies regime responds positively during expansions, while during contraction responses are negative and more pronounced. The results suggest that larger firms are more sensitive to interest rate shocks. This is probably due to the low level of financial deepening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between financial performance and family involvement for 523 listed and non-listed Colombian firms over 1996–2006. Using a detailed database and performing several panel data regression models, we find that family firms exhibit better financial performance on average than non-family firms when the founder is still involved in operations, although this effect decreases with firm size. With heirs in charge, there is no statistical difference in financial performance. Both direct and indirect ownership (control through pyramidal ownership structures within family business groups) affect firms'' financial performance positively. However, this positive effect decreases with firm size. The results suggest that some kinds of family involvement appear to make firm growth expensive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We examined perceptions differentiating key Colombian decisionmakers in 168 SMEs who decided to either internationalize or remain domestic. An integrative model compares managerial perceptions of competitive, macro-environmental and neo-institutional factors. • Foreign MNEs in the home market significantly differentiated decisions to internationalize, as well as the presence of internationalizing domestic competitors, anticipated product acceptance, and internationalizing suppliers. • The lack of findings for some institutional and macro-environmental factors may reflect important contextual features of the Colombian business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]