IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/90506.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

‘Waste culture’ assessment using Hofstede’s and Schwartz’s cultural dimensions – an EU case study

Author

Listed:
  • Halkos, George
  • Petrou, Kleoniki Natalia

Abstract

The issue of municipal solid waste (MSW) arisings has received great attention recently as it is a by-product of economic activity but also serves as an input to the economy through material or energy recovery. In relation to that, the main focus of this study is cultural formation and especially the current picture of waste culture and public perception across European Union (EU) Member States. Thus this study will first evaluate environmental efficiency with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) based on five parameters: waste, gross domestic product (GDP), labour, capital, and population density for 22 EU Member States and for the years 2005, 2010 and 2015 in order to evaluate which Member States are more efficient. Then the results from the efficiency analysis are contrasted to Hofstede’s and Schwartz’s cultural dimensions on STATA with the use of regression modelling. Results show that for year 2005 no significant relationship is noticed between the efficiency scores and the cultural dimensions’ data from both researchers, whereas for years 2010 and 2015 there appears to be a significant connection with changes in the predictors also affecting the response variable. The above mentioned findings can be associated with the financial crisis that has hit Europe after 2008 making people more skeptical on environmental issues and how waste is best to be managed making sense financially but also environmentally. At the same time EU legislations have laid out some important Directives in the field of waste management. Finally, along with the factors above, EU has faced severe environmental challenges due to waste arisings, as well as accidents and injuries for people working in this sector which in turn have widely modified EU’s waste culture as supported by this study’s results.

Suggested Citation

  • Halkos, George & Petrou, Kleoniki Natalia, 2018. "‘Waste culture’ assessment using Hofstede’s and Schwartz’s cultural dimensions – an EU case study," MPRA Paper 90506, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:90506
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/90506/1/MPRA_paper_90506.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leopold Simar & Paul Wilson, 2000. "A general methodology for bootstrapping in non-parametric frontier models," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(6), pages 779-802.
    2. Boussofiane, A. & Dyson, R. G. & Thanassoulis, E., 1991. "Applied data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 1-15, May.
    3. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    4. George Halkos & Nickolaos Tzeremes, 2013. "National culture and eco-efficiency: an application of conditional partial nonparametric frontiers," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 15(4), pages 423-441, October.
    5. Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 1998. "Sensitivity Analysis of Efficiency Scores: How to Bootstrap in Nonparametric Frontier Models," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(1), pages 49-61, January.
    6. Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul W., 2002. "Non-parametric tests of returns to scale," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 115-132, May.
    7. Seiford, Lawrence M. & Thrall, Robert M., 1990. "Recent developments in DEA : The mathematical programming approach to frontier analysis," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1-2), pages 7-38.
    8. Geert Hofstede, 1983. "The Cultural Relativity of Organizational Practices and Theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 14(2), pages 75-89, June.
    9. Seiford, Lawrence M. & Zhu, Joe, 2005. "A response to comments on modeling undesirable factors in efficiency evaluation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(2), pages 579-581, March.
    10. Drogendijk, Rian & Slangen, Arjen, 2006. "Hofstede, Schwartz, or managerial perceptions? The effects of different cultural distance measures on establishment mode choices by multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 361-380, August.
    11. Song, Malin & An, Qingxian & Zhang, Wei & Wang, Zeya & Wu, Jie, 2012. "Environmental efficiency evaluation based on data envelopment analysis: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4465-4469.
    12. Rogge, Nicky & de Jaeger, Simon, 2012. "Evaluating the efficiency of municipalities in collecting and processing municipal solid waste: A shared input DEA-model," Working Papers 2012/22, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    13. George E. Halkos & Nickolaos G. Tzeremes, 2013. "Modelling the effect of national culture on countries' innovation performances: A conditional full frontier approach," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 656-678, September.
    14. R G Dyson & E A Shale, 2010. "Data envelopment analysis, operational research and uncertainty," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 61(1), pages 25-34, January.
    15. H. David Sherman & Joe Zhu, 2006. "Service Productivity Management," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-0-387-33231-4, February.
    16. R. D. Banker & A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper, 1984. "Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(9), pages 1078-1092, September.
    17. Seiford, Lawrence M. & Zhu, Joe, 2002. "Modeling undesirable factors in efficiency evaluation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 16-20, October.
    18. Giovanni De Feo & Sabino De Gisi, 2010. "Domestic Separation and Collection of Municipal Solid Waste: Opinion and Awareness of Citizens and Workers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(5), pages 1-30, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Halkos, George & Petrou, Kleoniki Natalia, 2018. "Assessment of national waste generation in EU Member States’ efficiency," MPRA Paper 84590, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Liu, John S. & Lu, Louis Y.Y. & Lu, Wen-Min, 2016. "Research fronts in data envelopment analysis," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 33-45.
    3. George Halkos & Kleoniki Natalia Petrou, 2019. "Analysing the Energy Efficiency of EU Member States: The Potential of Energy Recovery from Waste in the Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-32, September.
    4. Petridis, Konstantinos & Malesios, Chrisovalantis & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Thanassoulis, Emmanuel, 2013. "Efficiency analysis of forestry journals: Suggestions for improving journals’ quality," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 505-521.
    5. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2010. "Measuring the effect of virtual mergers on banks’ efficiency levels:A non parametric analysis," MPRA Paper 23696, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2011. "Does the Kyoto Protocol Agreement matters? An environmental efficiency analysis," MPRA Paper 30652, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Yaron, Jacob & Meoli, Michele, 2015. "Performance of microfinance institutions in achieving the poverty outreach and financial sustainability: When age and size matter?," MPRA Paper 69821, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2011. "Population density and regional welfare efficiency," MPRA Paper 30097, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Sebastian Kohl & Jan Schoenfelder & Andreas Fügener & Jens O. Brunner, 2019. "The use of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in healthcare with a focus on hospitals," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 245-286, June.
    10. George Halkos & Nickolaos Tzeremes, 2014. "Measuring the effect of Kyoto protocol agreement on countries’ environmental efficiency in CO 2 emissions: an application of conditional full frontiers," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 367-382, June.
    11. María Victoria Uribe‐Bohorquez & Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2019. "Women on boards and efficiency in a business‐orientated environment," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(1), pages 82-96, January.
    12. Alessandra Cepparulo & Gilles Mourre, 2020. "How and How Much? The Growth-Friendliness of Public Spending through the Lens," European Economy - Discussion Papers 132, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    13. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Yaron, Jacob & Meoli, Michele, 2017. "Assessing the financial and outreach efficiency of microfinance institutions: Do age and size matter?," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 63-76.
    14. Kaffash, Sepideh & Azizi, Roza & Huang, Ying & Zhu, Joe, 2020. "A survey of data envelopment analysis applications in the insurance industry 1993–2018," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 284(3), pages 801-813.
    15. Changhee Kim & Soo Wook Kim & Hee Jay Kang & Seung-Min Song, 2017. "What Makes Urban Transportation Efficient? Evidence from Subway Transfer Stations in Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-18, November.
    16. Jindal, Abhinav & Nilakantan, Rahul, 2021. "Falling efficiency levels of Indian coal-fired power plants: A slacks-based analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    17. Audibert, Martine & Mathonnat, Jacky & Pelissier, Aurore & Huang, Xiao Xian & Ma, Anning, 2013. "Health insurance reform and efficiency of township hospitals in rural China: An analysis from survey data," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 326-338.
    18. Zhou, P. & Ang, B.W. & Poh, K.L., 2008. "A survey of data envelopment analysis in energy and environmental studies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(1), pages 1-18, August.
    19. Zervopoulos, Panagiotis D. & Brisimi, Theodora S. & Emrouznejad, Ali & Cheng, Gang, 2016. "Performance measurement with multiple interrelated variables and threshold target levels: Evidence from retail firms in the US," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(1), pages 262-272.
    20. Varabyova, Yauheniya & Schreyögg, Jonas, 2013. "International comparisons of the technical efficiency of the hospital sector: Panel data analysis of OECD countries using parametric and non-parametric approaches," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 70-79.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental efficiency; waste culture; Hofstede; Schwartz; DEA; environmental policy; regression analysis; cultural dimensions.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:90506. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.