Elucidating the Paradox of Regulating Environmental Sustainability (Mis)management and Motivations: The Case of Thai Fisheries.

This article introduces and elucidates a new sustainability management paradox by examining the difficulties of applying the European Union's illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations in Thai waters. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders of Thailand's fishery sector to explore the particularities of the area. Configuration theory-from a strategic management perspective-was used to guide empirical research and extend it to the context of environmental regulation. The research finds that when it makes more business sense for stakeholders to engage in sustainability matters, more explicit engagement might take place of the wrong type, but the true sustainability objectives become performed more poorly and mismanaged, perhaps resulting in a worse-off position than started with. This is because regulation is astute at setting targets, but ineffective at engaging with key stakeholders. A composite model of how configuration theory fits within discussions of sustainability motivations is posited as the theoretical contribution to knowledge.

Configuring political relationships to navigate host-country institutional complexity: Insights from Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa.

We examine how ties with multiple host-country political institutions contribute to MNE subsidiary performance in countries with weak formal institutions. We suggest that forging relationships between subsidiaries and host-country government actors, local chieftains, and religious leaders generates regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive political resources. We integrate institutional and configuration theories to argue that similarity to an ideal configuration of the three political resources contributes to MNE subsidiary performance, and that the more dysfunctional host-country institutions, the greater the impact on performance. We test our hypotheses using primary and archival data from 604 MNE subsidiaries in 23 Anglophone sub-Saharan African countries and find support for our hypotheses. In our conclusion, we discuss the wider theoretical, managerial, and public-policy implications of our findings.

Nous examinons comment les liens avec de multiples institutions politiques du pays d'accueil contribuent à la performance des filiales des entreprises multinationales (Multinational Enterprise ­ MNE) dans les pays où les institutions formelles sont faibles. Nous suggérons que l'établissement de relations entre les filiales et les acteurs gouvernementaux, les chefs locaux et les chefs religieux du pays d'accueil génère des ressources politiques régulatrices, normatives et culturelles-cognitives. Nous intégrons les théories institutionnelles et de la configuration pour arguer que la similitude avec une configuration idéale des trois ressources politiques contribue à la performance des filiales des MNEs, et que plus les institutions du pays d'accueil sont dysfonctionnelles, plus l'impact sur la performance est important. Nous testons nos hypothèses à l'aide des données primaires et d'archives provenant de 604 filiales des MNEs dans 23 pays anglophones d'Afrique subsaharienne. Les résultats de nos tests confirment nos hypothèses. Dans notre conclusion, nous discutons des implications théoriques, managériales et de politique publique plus larges de nos résultats.

Examinamos con los lazos como múltiples instituciones en el país anfitrión contribuye al desempeño de la filial en países con instituciones formales débiles. Proponemos que forjar relaciones entre las filiales y los actores gubernamentales de los países anfitriones, los caciques locales, y los lideres religiosos genera recursos políticos regulatorios, normativos y culturales-cognitivos. Integramos las teorías institucionales y de configuración para argumentar que la similitud a una configuración ideal entre los tres recursos políticos contribuye al desempeño de las filiales, y entre más disfuncional sean las instituciones en el país anfitrión, mayor será el impacto en el desempeño. Probamos nuestras hipótesis usando datos primarios y material de archivos de 604 filiales en 23 países anglófonos de África Sub-Sahariana, y encontramos apoyo para nuestras hipótesis. En nuestra conclusión discutimos las implicaciones más generales teóricas, gerenciales y de política pública de nuestros hallazgos.

Examinamos como laços com várias instituições políticas do país anfitrião contribuem para o desempenho de subsidiárias de MNE em países com instituições formais fracas. Sugerimos que forjar relacionamentos entre subsidiárias e atores do governo do país anfitrião, chefes locais e líderes religiosos gera recursos políticos regulatórios, normativos e cultural-cognitivos. Integramos as teorias institucionais e de configuração para argumentar que a semelhança com uma configuração ideal dos três recursos políticos contribui para o desempenho da subsidiária da MNE e que quanto mais disfuncionais forem as instituições do país anfitrião, maior será o impacto no desempenho. Testamos nossas hipóteses usando dados primários e secundários de 604 subsidiárias de MNEs em 23 países de língua inglesa da África subsaariana e encontramos suporte para nossas hipóteses. Em nossa conclusão, discutimos mais amplas implicações teóricas, gerenciais e de políticas públicas de nossas descobertas.

Exploring factors influencing adverse birth outcomes in a regional hospital setting in Ghana: A configuration theoretical perspective.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the complexity of factors that influence adverse childbirth outcomes at health facilities can be enhanced by the theoretical articulation of the interplay between external socio-structural and internal technical dynamics of the birthplace in context. Guided by configuration theory, this study explored the factors that influence adverse birth outcomes at a regional hospital setting in Ghana. METHODS: Qualitative data were collected from the Upper West regional hospital in Ghana. In-depth interviews were administered to 30 purposively selected respondents comprising 20 postpartum mothers and 10 midwives. The data was electronically audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: The study revealed three key dimensions of socio-technical configurations shaping adverse birth outcomes within the hospital setting. These are mother-midwife personality and behavioral dynamics including personality clashes and poor communication; birth process dynamics consisting of diverse paradigms of safe birthing process and socio-technical conflicts on caesarean section; and birthplace context, comprising nature of the birthing environment, confidence in the safety of the birthplace and national health policy implementation challenges. These socio-technical interactions result in late reporting at facilities by mothers and delay in care delivery by midwives, contributing to adverse birth outcomes. CONCLUSION: In line with configuration theory, our study positions the influences of adverse birth outcomes in hospital settings in alignment with a subtle and iterative interplay of socio-technical factors. To comprehensively address adverse birth outcomes in hospital settings, health policymakers and practitioners need to understand and contextualise the socio-technical interactions that shape notable outcomes at specific hospital settings.