Research Article
ESG Assessment of 12 Chinese SMEs: The Proposal of a Two-stage Framework
Kwok-pong Lee,
Xichun Bi,
Kam-in Hung,
Hongyi Sun*
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
101-110
Received:
9 October 2026
Accepted:
21 October 2026
Published:
31 October 2026
Abstract: This report presents a comprehensive ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assessment of twelve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across diverse industrial sectors in China. Given that SMEs account for over 99 percent of all market entities in China and contribute more than 60 percent of national GDP, understanding their ESG posture is critically important. However, SMEs face systemic challenges in ESG evaluation due to resource constraints, lack of specialized expertise, and the absence of standardized, scalable assessment methodologies. The assessment employed a forty-indicator framework adapted from the China City Index of Venture (CCIV) seven-pillar model, organized across environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with senior representatives of twelve purposively selected SMEs between October 2025 and January 2026. The findings reveal uniformly low ESG maturity across all twelve cases, with total scores ranging from 9 to 28 out of 120 (7.5% to 23.3%), all at the Initial maturity level. The assessment identified a consistent "awareness-without-action" phenomenon, where senior managers acknowledged ESG importance but had not translated awareness into formal management systems due to absence of regulatory mandates, cost concerns, and resource constraints. Supply chain management emerged as the critical weakness across all cases. Company size positively correlated with ESG maturity, while company age was not a reliable predictor. Sectoral patterns revealed that environmentally oriented, socially mission-oriented, and professionally regulated sectors exhibited relatively stronger performance in their respective dimensions. The report concludes with implications for policy and practice, emphasizing the need for sector-specific ESG frameworks, accessible assessment tools, and promotion strategies that emphasize the business case for sustainability. The findings establish the necessity for a Stage II in-depth assessment to validate and elaborate upon the baseline findings, forming the basis of a two-stage ESG assessment framework for Chinese SMEs.
Abstract: This report presents a comprehensive ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assessment of twelve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across diverse industrial sectors in China. Given that SMEs account for over 99 percent of all market entities in China and contribute more than 60 percent of national GDP, understanding their ESG posture i...
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Research Article
Formal Security Actors Collaboration and Security Management in Kogi State Nigeria, 2015-2025
Isah Abdulraman*,
Matthew Ola-Rotimi Ajayi,
Timothy Onimisi
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
111-121
Received:
22 April 2026
Accepted:
11 May 2026
Published:
13 November 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajmse.20261105.12
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Abstract: This study examines the role of collaboration among formal security actors in security management in Kogi State, Nigeria, from 2015 to 2025. The period witnessed increasing security threats such as kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, communal clashes, cybercrime, and organized criminal activities, which adversely affected socio-economic development in the state due to its strategic location linking Northern and Southern Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to examine the extent of collaboration among formal security actors in Kogi State, and assess the challenges affecting effective inter-agency cooperation in security management. The study adopts a qualitative research design and relies on secondary data obtained from academic literature, policy documents, government publications, and security reports. It is anchored on Elite Theory, which explains how political and institutional elites influence decision-making and inter-agency relations within state security structures. Findings reveal that although collaborative efforts such as joint operations and intelligence sharing exist among agencies like the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Armed Forces, DSS, and NSCDC, effective collaboration is hindered by institutional rivalry, lack of trust, political interference, inadequate funding, and poor coordination mechanisms. However, where effective collaboration exists, it enhances intelligence gathering, operational efficiency, and crime control. The study concludes that improved synergy among formal security actors is essential for effective security management in Kogi State and recommends enhanced coordination frameworks, institutional reforms, intelligence sharing, and adequate funding for security agencies.
Abstract: This study examines the role of collaboration among formal security actors in security management in Kogi State, Nigeria, from 2015 to 2025. The period witnessed increasing security threats such as kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, communal clashes, cybercrime, and organized criminal activities, which adversely affected socio-economic developmen...
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