Internationalization via strategic alliances in family businesses.

It has been observed in previous studies that certain characteristics of family businesses may impede internationalization. These characteristics include the concentration of decision-making in the hands of a single shareholder or small group of shareholders, delays in the succession process, aversion to internationalization, etc. Despite these obstacles, a large number of family businesses have chosen to internationalize as a means of revitalizing themselves. The results of the study reported here indicate three important pre-requisites for family businesses that are seriously considering internationalization as an aid to growth: they need to have a market-leading product, adequate financial resources, and a suitable organizational structure. Apart from these preliminary conditions, the example of the family businesses studied here demonstrates that success in forming and developing strategic alliances for internationalization also leads to: 1) an enhanced ability to manage in contexts in which objectives are not necessarily shared; 2) stronger personal preferences for the use of alliances; and 3) a deeper trust in the partner organization. The most interesting result of this study is that, contradicting previous literature in the family business field, it shows that family firms' intrinsic characteristics are not the real barrier to internationalization. Rather, the most powerful determinant of successful internationalization appears to be the owner-manager's personal commitment to the long-term survival of the family business.family business; strategic alliances; internationalization; emerging economies;

Relationship between firewood usage and urinary Cr Cu and As in informal areas of Cape Town

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated whether wood usage by informal food vendors and household residents in Cape Town results in the absorption of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu) owing to release of these metals in the burning of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood. METHODS: The participants (N=78) selected included an equal number of food vendors and non-vendors from 2 informal settlements. All participants answered a questionnaire concerning exposure and were tested for urinary Cr, Cu and As, while the urine of 29 participants was also tested for toxic As (As(tox)). RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that the time spent in close proximity to the wood, as well as the quantity of wood used for cooking and for household use, was weakly positively associated with urinary levels of As, Cr and the sum of As, Cr and Cu. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that use of wood likely to contain CCA as a fuel for informal food outlets and household purposes may increase the absorption of inorganic As, Cu and Cr

Development assistance and the lasting legacies of rebellion in Burundi and Rwanda

Abstract: Rwanda and Burundi have both emerged from civil wars over the past 20 years and foreign donors have provided significant contributions to post-conflict reconstruction and development in the two countries. Yet, although Rwanda and Burundi share several important characteristics, their post-conflict social, political and economic trajectories have been different. This article argues that the nature of the ruling parties in Rwanda and Burundi is key to understanding the countries’ relationships with donors. Rather than seeing aid as an exogenous factor, causing particular development outcomes, it shows how local party elites exert considerable agency over the aid relationship. This agency is influenced by a number of different local contextual factors, including how the parties were established, how they evolved and the ways in which their civil wars ended. Thus, the article provides an analysis of how local context matters in understanding donor–recipient aid relationships, and how the ruling party in Rwanda (the RPF) and in Burundi (the CNDD–FDD) emerged from their respective conflicts with different relationships with international donors

Multi-crop thresher : Burkina Faso

This one-page brochure provides a list of suppliers/fabricators trained in the manufacture of the multi-crop thresher (for cowpea, rice, sorghum and maize) in Burkina Faso

Celebrating libraries in 20 years of democracy : an overview of library and information services in South Africa

Since the establishment of the first public library in 1818, the South African library and information services landscape has also been a reflection of the socio-political order and developments in the country. This article presents an historical perspective as well as an overview of libraries in South Africa since 1994, the context within which libraries function, library governance and legislative framework, government funding for redress, library technologies, library and information services education and the professional association. The article further highlights the importance of libraries in meeting the goals of the national development agenda towards entrenching a strong democracy and an educated and informed nationOriginal publication is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/034003521558510

Characterization of >oil on copper> paintings by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence is a common analytical tool for layer thickness measurements in quality control processes in the coating industry, but there are scarce microanalytical applications in order to ascertain semi-quantitative or quantitative information of painted layers. >Oil on copper> painting becomes a suitable material to be analysed by means of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, due to the metallic nature of substrate and the possibility of applying layered models as used in coating industry. The aim of this work is to study the suitability of a quantitative energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence methodology for the assessment of the areal distribution of pigments and the characterization of painting methods on such kind of pictorial artworks. The method was calibrated using standard reference materials: dried droplets of monoelemental standard solutions laid on a metallic plate of copper. As an example of application, we estimated pigment mass distribution of two >oil on copper> paintings from the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Pictorial layers have been complementarily analysed by X-ray diffraction. Apart of the supporting media made of copper or brass, we could identify two different superimposed layers: (a) a preparation layer mainly composed by white lead and (b) the pictorial layer of variable composition depending on the pigments used by the artist on small areas of the painting surface. The areal mass distribution of the different elements identified in the painting pigments (Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb) have been determined by elemental mapping of some parts of the artworks. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.A. Pitarch gratefully acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Education for the grant within the program of Formation of Graduate Stuff-FPU (reference AP2006-4591)Peer Reviewe

A matrix–free high–order solver for the numerical solution of cardiac electrophysiology

We propose a matrix-free solver for the numerical solution of the cardiac electrophysiology model consisting of the monodomain nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation coupled with a system of ordinary differential equations for the ionic species. Our numerical approximation is based on the high-order Spectral Element Method (SEM) to achieve accurate numerical discretization while employing a much smaller number of Degrees of Freedom than first-order Finite Elements. We combine vectorization with sum- factorization, thus allowing for a very efficient use of high-order polynomials in a high performance computing framework. We validate the effectiveness of our matrix-free solver in a variety of applications and perform different electrophysiological simulations ranging from a simple slab of cardiac tissue to a realistic four-chamber heart geometry. We compare SEM to SEM with Numerical Integration (SEM-NI), showing that they provide comparable results in terms of accuracy and efficiency. In both cases, increasing the local polynomial degree p leads to better numerical results and smaller computational times than reducing the mesh size h. We also implement a matrix-free Geometric Multigrid preconditioner that results in a comparable number of linear solver iterations with respect to a state-of-the-art matrix-based Algebraic Multigrid preconditioner. As a matter of fact, the matrix-free solver proposed here yields up to 45x speed-up with respect to a conventional matrix-based solver. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Pensions and the health of older people in South Africa: Is there an effect?

This paper critically reviews evidence from low and middle income countries that pensions are associated with better health outcomes for older people. It draws on new, nationally representative survey data from South Africa to provide a systematic analysis of pension effects on health and quality of life. It reports significant associations with the frequency of health service utilisation, as well as with awareness and treatment of hypertension. There is, however, no association with actual control of hypertension, self-reported health or quality of life. The paper calls for a more balanced and integrated approach to social protection for older people

Clinically Actionable Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertriglyceridemia in Children with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in whom intervention for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides was indicated based on National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter, longitudinal cohort study included children with NAFLD enrolled in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. Fasting lipid profiles were obtained at diagnosis. Standardized dietary recommendations were provided. After 1 year, lipid profiles were repeated and interpreted according to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction. Main outcomes were meeting criteria for clinically actionable dyslipidemia at baseline, and either achieving lipid goal at follow-up or meeting criteria for ongoing intervention. RESULTS: There were 585 participants, with a mean age of 12.8 years. The prevalence of children warranting intervention for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at baseline was 14%. After 1 year of recommended dietary changes, 51% achieved goal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 27% qualified for enhanced dietary and lifestyle modifications, and 22% met criteria for pharmacologic intervention. Elevated triglycerides were more prevalent, with 51% meeting criteria for intervention. At 1 year, 25% achieved goal triglycerides with diet and lifestyle changes, 38% met criteria for advanced dietary modifications, and 37% qualified for antihyperlipidemic medications. CONCLUSIONS: More than one-half of children with NAFLD met intervention thresholds for dyslipidemia. Based on the burden of clinically relevant dyslipidemia, lipid screening in children with NAFLD is warranted. Clinicians caring for children with NAFLD should be familiar with lipid management