Private Sector Development in Kuwait: A Product Space Approach

Final Report on Private Sector Development in the MED-11 Region

Best practices, policy and innovations in the administration of healthcare in developing communities and countries. For administrators, academics, researchers and policy leaders. Includes peer reviewed research papers. Edited by Dr. Judith Shamian, President Emeritus, International Council of Nurses, Professor and Co-investigator with the Nursing Health Services Research Unit, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

PurposeWhile the term “entrepreneurship” is not exclusively a private sector phenomenon, it is usually associated with private sector business activity and more specifically with small to medium enterprises. However, over the last two decades it has appeared in the public administration literature with increasing frequency. The recent research in public sector entrepreneurial activity makes an exploratory comparative analysis of the key components that are applicable from private sector entrepreneurship timely as the topic is emerging as an area of academic inquiry and research. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of private and public sector entrepreneurship using an analytical model from private and public sector entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachA clear understanding of the research issues involved requires an appreciation of the nexus between private sector entrepreneurship and the more limited research field of public sector entrepreneurship. The paper identifies and examines the historical and evolutionary research on entrepreneurship as a basis for analysis of public and private sector entrepreneurship.FindingsThe paper provides a comprehensive analysis that highlights key similarities, differences or a combination between public and private sector entrepreneurship and develops an existing model and framework for a systematic approach to the public sector entrepreneurial process.Originality/ valueBased on this exploration, new insights about public sector entrepreneurship are developed, practical implications for public sector entrepreneurs on how to approach public sector entrepreneurship more systematically and effectively are presented and opportunities for further research are identified.

Antiretroviral therapy in countries with low health expenditure

BackgroundSouth Africa has large public and private sectors and there is a common perception that public sector hospitals are inefficient and ineffective while the privately owned and managed hospitals provide superior care and are more sustainable. The underlying assumption is that there is a potential gap in management capacity between the two sectors. This study aims to ascertain the skills and competency levels of hospital managers in South Africa and to determine whether there are any significant differences in competency levels between managers in the different sectors.MethodsA survey using a self administered questionnaire was conducted among hospital managers in South Africa. Respondents were asked to rate their proficiency with seven key functions that they perform. These included delivery of health care, planning, organizing, leading, controlling, legal and ethical, and self-management. Ratings were based on a five point Likert scale ranging from very low skill level to very high skill level.ResultsThe results show that managers in the private sector perceived themselves to be significantly more competent than their public sector colleagues in most of the management facets. Public sector managers were also more likely than their private sector colleagues to report that they required further development and training.ConclusionThe findings confirm our supposition that there is a lack of management capacity within the public sector in South Africa and that there is a significant gap between private and public sectors. It provides evidence that there is a great need for further development of managers, especially those in the public sector. The onus is therefore on administrators and those responsible for management education and training to identify managers in need of development and to make available training that is contextually relevant in terms of design and delivery.

The operational efficiency in China's private and public sectors presents significant differences that managers are unaware of, leading to increased turnover intentions. The current research covers the impacts of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction on turnover intentions within the Chinese public sector. This research investigates the correlation between job satisfaction and employee turnover intentions in the Chinese public and private sectors. Data were gathered via questionnaires distributed to employees from multiple public and private enterprises and institutions. The findings indicate clear differences between employees in the public and private sectors regarding the influence of job satisfaction on intentions to turnover. Specifically, Chinese public employees show less extrinsic job satisfaction and less desire to quit than employees employed in the private sector. Moreover, compared to employees in the private sector, those working in the public sector have a direct but insignificant negative relationship between extrinsic job satisfaction and turnover intentions. To improve employee motivation, it is recommended that public-sector managers prioritize enhancing extrinsic job factors and consider reallocating dissatisfied employees to more suitable roles. Furthermore, managers should evaluate whether their organization’s turnover rate is overly high, as it will deteriorate productivity and efficiency.

Can Cyprus overcome its health-care challenges?

This study presents evidence elucidating the complex relationship between private sector development (PSD) and the Financial Inclusion Index (FII) in a transitioning economy.Given that the private sector, a significant driver of growth in Vietnam, is expanding, the research investigates whether this trend benefits workers in terms of financial inclusion.Utilizing panel data from 63 provinces in Vietnam spanning from 2010 to 2020, our results indicate that while private sector expansion generally enhances financial access, the transition of workers from the public to the private sector can diminish FII.This interconnection is influenced by the local institutional quality, whereby an increase in private sector employment and labor share contributes more positively to FII in regions characterized by high-quality institutions and economic development.Therefore, our findings underscore the critical role of institutional reforms and targeted policies aimed at ensuring that private sector growth translates into improved financial inclusion, particularly for marginalized communities. Research Purpose:The purpose of this research is to explore whether the growth of the private sector in Vietnam has a positive or negative effect on financial inclusion-that is, whether it helps more people access essential financial services like banking, loans, and credit.The study looks at how expanding private sector employment might improve access to these services, but also whether the shift from public to private sector jobs could reduce financial inclusion in certain areas.Ultimately, this research aims to provide insights on how private sector growth impacts workers' financial well-being in a transitioning economy like Vietnam Research motivation:The motivation for this research arises from the growing role of the private sector in driving Vietnam's economic development and the need to understand its impact on financial inclusion.While the private sector creates jobs and promotes growth, its effect on access to essential financial services-especially for underserved communities-remains unclear.This study aims to investigate whether private sector expansion improves or hinders financial inclusion, providing insights that can guide policies to ensure inclusive and equitable economic benefits. Research design, approach, and method:This research uses a panel data analysis across 63 provinces in Vietnam from 2010 to 2020 to explore the relationship between private sector growth and financial inclusion.We employ various indicators of private sector development and a Financial Inclusion Index to assess financial access.To ensure robust results, we apply statistical methods that account for potential biases and control for important factors such as institutional quality and regional differences.This approach allows us to uncover the nuanced effects of private sector expansion on financial inclusion in different contexts. Main findings:The main findings of this research reveal that private sector growth generally enhances financial inclusion by increasing access to essential financial services.However, the shift of workers from the public to the private sector can lead to a decline in financial inclusion, especially in regions with weaker institutional quality.Our study also shows that areas with better institutional frameworks benefit more from private sector expansion in terms of financial inclusion, while regions with higher poverty rates experience slower progress. Practical/managerial implications:The practical implications of this research suggest that policymakers should focus on strengthening institutional frameworks to ensure that private sector growth leads to broader financial inclusion.Improving governance, transparency, and financial infrastructure can help regions, especially those with higher poverty rates, to benefit more from private sector expansion.For managers and business leaders, the findings highlight the importance of engaging with local institutions and supporting initiatives that promote financial literacy and access to financial services, which can enhance both employee welfare and business performance in transitioning economies like Vietnam.

Although overprovision of antibiotics in primary care is a key driver of antibiotic resistance, little is known about its determinants in low-income and middle-income countries. Patient demand and financial incentives...

Both the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) and its embedded technology diffusion exponentially progress and grow in terms of technical change and socioeconomic impact. The aim of this study was the evaluation of research and development efficiency in the public and private sectors in EU countries. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology, within which the slack-based model was applied, was used to achieve this aim. The Malmquist index (MI) was used to calculate changes in research and development efficiency during 2010/2013 and 2014/2017. The results present a decrease in total Research and Development (R&D) productivity in public and private sectors for an average of EU countries (28). However, Spain, Slovenia, and Portugal (in the public sector), and Ireland and Romania (in the private sector) revealed an increase of a total R&D productivity during 2010/2013 and 2014/2017 that was primarily influenced by an increase of technical efficiency (catch-up effect). Similarly, the results confirm the differences in R&D efficiency in private and public sectors in the European countries. The study’s results also provide a valuable platform for creators of national strategic and innovative investment and educational plans, and creators of relevant policies and create a platform for national and international benchmarking indicators.

Is public service motivation (PSM) higher in the public sector than in the private sector? Or does the level of PSM depend on the task rather than on the sector in which the employee works? It is often difficult to investigate sector differences, as private and public employees typically perform different tasks. Here, we investigate the differences in the PSM levels for a single occupational group performing the same tasks in the private and public sectors: Danish physiotherapists. The article also aims to investigate whether public and private sector employment is related to different types of PSM. The most important findings are that there is no difference in the general level of PSM between employees performing the same tasks in public and private organizations, but whereas private sector physiotherapists seem to be more narrowly oriented toward the user, public sector physiotherapists have a broader orientation toward the public interest.

In Australia 61% of elective surgery takes place in private hospitals where current opportunities for surgical education and training (SET) are limited. The situation will shortly be compounded because of the large increase in local medical graduates, many of whom will aspire to be surgeons. How and where to train these extra surgeons to meet the expanding needs of the community must be addressed. Two models of private sector training are reviewed both of which involved combined training in both private and public sectors. Two second-year (SET 2) positions were created from one public hospital SET position by using the private sector for 3.5 days per week for 3 months of a 6-month rotation. The second model was applicable to post-fellowship training with a fairly even split between public and private sector responsibilities. In the first year, four registrars shared the two 6-month rotations for the SET 2 position. Trainees did the required minimum procedures (range 109-139) with primary operating targets of 20-25% (range 21-32%). The post-fellowship position in colorectal surgery was greatly enhanced by the private sector involvement with regard to operating experience as well as meeting part of the remuneration of the trainee. Successful models for training within the private sector in Australia can be found. To expand training in the private sector there will need to be a cultural shift in the perceptions of surgeons, patients, administrators, and trainees. Funding for posts may be available to those private hospitals that can meet the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' accreditation standards for posts and hospitals.

This study surveys the capital budgeting practice in private and commercially-oriented public sector enterprises in the Sudan, an African Less Developed Country (LDC). The study attempts to fill a gap in the existing literature by documenting the capital budgeting practice in an LDC where the economic environment is different than the developed and developing counterparts and where public sector still plays a major role in the economy. The study found a sizable number of commercially-oriented public corporations that do not use capital budgeting techniques in their capital investment decisions while the majority of private sector companies use these methods. Among the corporations that use capital budgeting methods, both in the public and private sector, the payback method (PB) is the most widely used method, followed by the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) in the private sector and the public sector respectively. The study also revealed additional factors such as cost, size, quality, experience and hard currency requirements that affect the capital budgeting process in both sectors. However, there are differences in the level of importance of these factors between the two sectors.

Governments throughout the world are being forced to review how to fund the increasing demand and rising expectations of their citizens. This is especially relevant for developing countries, which often have limited capital resources to meet the soaring needs for essential infrastructure. This has consequently led to increased involvement of the private sector in the provision of public services, using various forms of Public‐Private Partnerships (PPPs). It is, however, important for both the public and private sectors to understand the various risks associated with PPPs throughout the whole life cycle of the projects in order to guarantee long‐term success. This is especially true in Nigeria and other countries where the use of PPPs are still in the early stages of development. Sixty‐one PPP risk factors were identified from literature and classified into exogenous and endogenous risks. This paper presents the results of the questionnaire survey that investigated the perception of Nigerian construction professionals on the relative importance of the identified risks and their preferences of allocation between the public and private sectors. The results show that the three most important PPP risk factors in Nigeria are “unstable government”, “inadequate experience in PPP” and “availability of finnance”. The respondents’ risk allocation preferences show that while most of the endogenous risk factors could be assigned to the private sector partner, the public sector should retain political and site acquisition risks, while relation‐ship‐based risks should be shared between the private and public sector partners

Price, Availability, and Affordability of Antineoplastic Medicines in Harare’s Public and Private Institutions: Implication for Access