African Leaders: Their Education Abroad and FDI Flows

Leaders are critical to a country's success. They can influence domestic policy via specific measures that they enforce, and they can also influence international public opinion towards their country. Foreign Direct Investments are also essential for a country's economic growth. Our hypothesis is that foreign-educated leaders attract more FDI to their country. Our rationale is that education obtained abroad encompasses a whole slew of factors that can make a difference in FDI flows when this foreign-educated individual becomes a leader. We test this hypothesis empirically with a unique dataset that we constructed from several sources, including the Library of Congress and the World Bank. Our analysis of 40 African countries employs the robust technique of conditional quantile regression. Our results reveal that foreign education is a significant determinant of FDI inflows, beyond other standard characteristics. While intuitive, this result does not necessarily indicate sheepskin effects or superior human capital obtained abroad. Rather, it indicates the powerful role of the social capital, networks, and connections that these leaders built while they were abroad that they in turn mobilize and utilize when they become leaders.FDI, Leaders' Educational level, return migration, Africa

African Leaders: Their Education Abroad and FDI Flows

Leaders are critical to a country’s success. They can influence domestic policy via specific measures that they enforce, and they can also influence international public opinion towards their country. Foreign Direct Investments are also essential for a country’s economic growth. Our hypothesis is that foreign-educated leaders attract more FDI to their country. Our rationale is that education obtained abroad encompasses a whole slew of factors that can make a difference in FDI flows when this foreign-educated individual becomes a leader. We test this hypothesis empirically with a unique dataset that we constructed from several sources, including the Library of Congress and the World Bank. Our analysis of 40 African countries employs the robust technique of conditional quantile regression. Our results reveal that foreign education is a significant determinant of FDI inflows, beyond other standard characteristics. While intuitive, this result does not necessarily indicate sheepskin effects or superior human capital obtained abroad. Rather, it indicates the powerful role of the social capital, networks, and connections that these leaders built while they were abroad that they in turn mobilize and utilize when they become leaders.FDI, leaders' educational level, return migration, Africa

The far-right’s influence on Twitter during the 2018 Andalusian elections: an approach through political leaders

New technologies allow politicians to spread their messages omitting the role of mediators. In this context, the Internet has also promoted the emergence of a new actor, digital opinion leaders, who go beyond traditional politics and seek to set the public agenda. One of the main questions nowadays is whether social media, and in particular Twitter as a consolidated tool for political communication, is only used as a sounding board for their political statements, spurring the messages of populist forces. With this in mind, the main objective of this research is to explore the influence of the far-right in the public debate of political leaders on Twitter, analyzing the specific case of the Andalusian regional elections held in December 2018. These elections can be considered a political turning point, with an extreme right party winning seats in a Spanish regional election for the first time in 35 years. In this paper we analyze if Vox used a differentiated strategy via this social network compared to the candidates of the traditional parties: PSOE, PP, Ciudadanos, and Adelante Andalucía. Using content analysis on Twitter as a method, this research determines how Vox candidates worked as influencers of the digital political debate, despite being extra-parliamentary. Vox marked the agenda for the rest of the leaders, while generating great expectation among the audience

An ethnographic study of the re-conceptualization of opinion leadership via Twitter amongst Egyptian revolutionaries in the post-Jan25 revolution era

This study applied the two-step-flow-of-information model within an ethnographic approach to explore the two-step-flow of information model for re-conceptualizing opinion leadership via Twitter in the post-Jan25 revolution era. The study is inspired by the 25th of January revolution that shacked many of the taken-for-granted thoughts and perceptions. The study belongs to the new trend in media-audience studies claiming that with media convergence, \u27the user is the tool,\u27 and \u27the sender becomes the message.\u27 The data collection tools are (a) seven months of participant-observation conducted on a purposive sample of approximately 400 Egyptian tweeps, (b) online semi-structured interviews conducted with a purposive sub-sample of eighteen tweeps, and (c) seventy online questionnaires. Four major concepts were examined; opinion leaders, leaders-followers relationship, linear versus circular flow-of-information, and the role of Twitter in the flow-of-information in post-Jan25 revolution era. Analysis found that Twitter is distinguished for its users\u27 characteristics more than its technological features. Within Twitter, there are more of opinion-organizers, recommenders, analyzers, more than leaders. Data imply that traditional media outstanding position in the flow-of-information model is challenged; it needs to go beyond having an online URL, Facebook page, or Twitter account, to upgrade its old rules and regulations, and the mentality guiding its performance, as well as to focus more on service and informational roles than publicity and manipulation. Indications suggest that Egyptian tweeps have a mutually equal leader-follower relationship

Immigration and Local Urban Participatory Democracy: A Boston-Paris Comparison

This paper deals with a comparison of two governmental initiatives in the direction of immigrants – the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians (Boston, 1998) and Conseil de la Citoyenneté des Parisiens Non-Communautaires (Paris, 2001). In both cities, local political leaders justify their politics by referring to “participatory democracy” as a way to facilitate the inclusion of immigrants into city policy-making. Beyond this rhetorical convergence, we find crucial divergences about these politicians’ respective actual goals and method of functioning : the experience is relatively positive in Boston, whereas the Parisian one is a patent failure. We can underline these differences notably by advancing the following hypothesis: MONB, as a city department, has managed to build a partnership with civil society, particularly with ethnic grassroots organisations, whereas in Paris, the Socialist Party's top-down CCPNC - a consultative council - is part of a political communication that is destined to its Green political allies and to public opinion at large.Urban politics, Immigration, USA/France

Undermining, defusing or defending European integration? Assessing public communication of European executives in times of EU politicisation

How do mainstream political executives cue their politicised constituencies on European integration? Moving beyond static expectations that EU politicisation induces executives to either undermine, defuse or defend integration, this article theorises executives’ incentives under different configurations of public and partisan Euroscepticism in their home countries. Expectations are tested on the sentiment and complexity that executives attach to European integration in almost 9,000 public speeches delivered throughout the Euro Crisis. It is found that national leaders faced with sceptical public opinion and low levels of partisan Euroscepticism rhetorically undermine integration, whereas European Commissioners faced with similar conditions are prone to defend it. These responses intensify disproportionally with growing public Euroscepticism, but are moderated by Eurosceptic party strength in surprising ways. When such challenger parties come closer to absorbing the Eurosceptic potential in public opinion, executive communication turns more positive again but also involves less clear rhetorical signals. These findings move beyond existing uniform expectations on mainstream responses to Eurosceptic challenges and highlight the relevance of different domestic configurations of EU politicisation

The role of opinion leadership among maize farmers in Lesotho

The purpose of the study was to investigate the intermediary role that opinion leaders can play in the dissemination of agricultural technologies among the rural farmers in Lesotho in order to bridge the gap between extension and the farmers. A structured questionnaire was administered to 200 randomly sampled maize farming households, representing a 20 percent sample, from three villages in the Qeme area, namely Ha Mohasoa, Ha Pita and Ha Jimisi. Opinion Leadership was measured on the basis of number of nominations within and beyond the sample. The research findings confirm the importance of opinion leadership, which exists among both male and female farmers, but varies according to the degree of influence (number of nominations). Thirty-nine percent qualified based on influence as opinion leaders, but the strong opinion leaders were between 6 – 10 percent. Of the various personal and environmental factors that were assumed to have influence on opinion leadership, only some but not all actually had influence. The factors having influence were age, marital status, gender, farming efficiency and exposure to mass media. Factors having no influence were formal education qualifications, scale of farming operation and the reliance on farming as a source of income. Competence and accessibility appeared to be key dimensions of opinion leadership. However, in the study area, accessibility – was formal to be a precondition for the effective flow of information – was not a constraint. Ninety percent of all opinion leaders were, for example, assessed to have a high or very high accessibility. This accessibility was influenced by friendship, and gender, but social status appeared to have no bearing on it. Physical accessibility was also an important factor, which was emphasized by the finding that 85 percent of the strongest opinion leaders resided within a distance of less than 2km from the followers. In general, the opinion leaders were of a polymorphic type and seem to be consulted over a wide variety of subjects or commodities. Although there were indications of the stronger opinion leaders being more involved in reciprocative consultations, this tendency was much less pronounced than what has been found among white commercial farmers in South Africa (Düvel, 1996). Based on the similarities of findings of this study and those of Adupa&Düvel (1999) on small scale farmers in Uganda, it was recommended that more research should be conducted to interrogate and exploit the use of opinion leaders in the diffusion of information and innovations in Lesotho.Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2007.Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Developmentunrestricte

Parties, Leaders, and the National Debt

There is widespread agreement that the United States is headed for a train wreck of massive proportions if its leaders do not address the problem of the national debt. However, the nation\u27s leaders appear unable to agree to terms about a potential solution, a dynamic that poses fundamental concerns about the capacity of the constitutional system and ability of citizens to self-govern. The conventional wisdom holds that politicians are chiefly concerned about reelection, so they refuse to make tough choices that might offend constituencies and powerful interest groups. Of particular consequence is the growing polarization of the parties and inability to find common ground. Dan Palazzolo\u27s analysis provides some cause for hope while offering a concise description for how the nation got into the debt crisis. Most theories of Congress predict stalemate on budget policy. Palazzolo\u27s historical approach, using process tracing, highlights situations in which crises, shifts in public opinion, changes in institutional procedures, and shrewd actions of leaders might lead to bipartisan outcomes. In other words, structural constraints, such as polarization and electoral incentives, do not necessarily prevent leaders from acting to solve the nation\u27s problems. Palazzolo\u27s case study analysis challenges theories that rely too heavily on single-factor explanations of policy outcomes. It calls for scholars to study politics with a deeper and nuanced understanding of the character of problems and ability of political leaders to move beyond the constraints of politics as usual

Leaders' political communications and gestures highlighted by international media

The confluence of political communication, gestures, and international media in an era of unparalleled interconnection bears significant implications for the worldwide perception and understanding of political leaders. This review of the literature explores the complex dynamics of this relationship, shedding light on the ways in which political leaders strategically use gestures to communicate ideas, the role that the media plays in interpreting and presenting these gestures, and the ongoing feedback loop that exists between leaders' communication tactics and the reactions of the media. Political leaders have long understood the importance of communicating effectively and going beyond just using words to convey their ideas. Beyond linguistic and cultural barriers, gestures—both subtle and overt—act as a non-verbal extension of their communication tactics. These deliberate gestures support spoken words with subtle nonverbal indicators, expressing confidence, empathy, diplomacy, or resolution. International media outlets play a crucial role in framing and molding the way that leaders and their activities are portrayed since they serve as both interpreters and amplifiers of political communication. The media's framing and interpretation of leaders' gestures and comments can either reinforce or question their intended signals, making them highly influential in shaping public opinion. There is a dynamic and responsive feedback loop between leaders' gestures, the media's reactions, and themselves. As a result of media interpretations, leaders are quick to modify their communication tactics and body language, which can affect how they project themselves. The interaction cycle that follows emphasizes how this relationship is always changing. Case studies offer concrete instances of how gestures can be used strategically and how the media has interpreted them. Examples of symbolic expressions used in political campaigns, diplomatic gestures, and subtle body language used in international talks provide insight into the complexity of this interaction. Social media's introduction has given this dynamic a new dimension by allowing leaders to speak with a global audience directly and enhancing the feedback loop. In order to keep control over their public image and accomplish their political goals in this era of connectivity, leaders must skillfully traverse this complicated landscape by carefully balancing their communication methods, non-verbal clues, and media participation. In conclusion, a crucial and changing component of modern leadership is the dynamic interaction between political communication, gestures, and worldwide media. In a society where the media's perspective has a significant impact on public perception and global narratives, mastery of this interaction is crucial. Political leaders must skillfully use both verbal and nonverbal communication to build the narratives that characterize our globalized reality in order to lead and govern in an interconnected society

What America Needs to Know About Higher Education Redesign

Finding ways to help more Americans develop and connect their knowledge, skills, and talent with a good job may be the most important economic and human development challenge in this country. To contribute to the dialogue surrounding the importance of post-secondary education in preparing and connecting people with a good job, for the past three years, Lumina and Gallup have been gauging the American public's opinion on the most pressing issues facing higher education today, including cost, access, quality, and workforce readiness. This year, in addition to the annual public opinion poll conducted of the U.S. general population, a second survey was conducted of business leaders in the U.S. to understand their perceptions of post-secondary education and how higher educational institutions are doing in preparing employees for the world of work. Together these studies can help inform what thought leaders and ALL Americans need to know about the value and opportunity that quality higher education affords