South Korea's automotive labour regime, Hyundai Motors’ global production network and trade‐based integration with the European Union

This article explores the interrelationship between global production networks(GPNs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) in the South Korean auto industry and its employment relations. It focuses on the production network of the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) — the third biggest automobile manufacturer in the world — and the FTA between the EU and South Korea. This was the first of the EU’s ‘new generation’ FTAs, which among other things contained provisions designed to protect and promote labour standards. The article’s argument is twofold. First, that HMG’s production network and Korea’s political economy (of which HMG is a crucial part) limited the possibilities for the FTA’s labour provisions to take effect. Second, that the commercial provisions in this same FTA simultaneously eroded HMG’s domestic market and corporate profitability, leading to adverse consequences for auto workers in the more insecure and low-paid jobs. In making this argument, the article advances a multiscalar conceptualization of the labour regime as an analytical intermediary between GPNs and FTAs. It also provides one of the first empirical studies of the EU–South Korea FTA in terms of employment relations, drawing on 105 interviews with trade unions, employer associations, automobile companies and state officials across both parties

Perceived drivers and barriers in the governance of wastewater treatment and reuse in India : Insights from a two-round Delphi study

Wastewater treatment and reuse practices are limited in India despite the known benefits of preventing water resources pollution and contributing to sustainable production and consumption systems. We identify the perceived key drivers and barriers to wastewater treatment and reuse governance in a two-round Delphi study, including literature and case study analyses and consultation with 75 panelists. Panelists indicated that the most significant driver for wastewater treatment and water reuse is persistent water scarcity that necessitates diversification to alternative water supplies. In contrast, the most significant barriers are the lack of enforcement of pollution monitoring and control, the lack of an umbrella directive for integrated water resources management, and insufficient collaboration between responsible governmental organizations, central and state water authorities. Given the absence of central guidelines, only a few Indian states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat or Punjab have adopted effective governance structures. These states showcase that defined reuse standards can create successful wastewater treatment and reuse practices but require target-based regulations which are enforced and regularly monitored and financing mechanisms for their long-term operation. The new effluent discharge standards by the National Green Tribunal, the government support programmes, and increasing water scarcity in many parts of India will supposedly drive innovative wastewater treatment and reuse structures. Panelists agreed that efforts are needed to develop technology guiding frameworks following the fit-for-purpose principle and that strengthening institutional and monitoring capacity is crucial to increase confidence in the quality of recovered water resources, create demand, and ultimately safeguard human health and the environment

Supporting patient access to medicines in community palliative care: on-line survey of health professionals’ practice, perceived effectiveness and influencing factors

Background: Patient access to medicines at home during the last year of life is critical for symptom control, but is thought to be problematic. Little is known about healthcare professionals’ practices in supporting timely medicines access and what influences their effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to evaluate health professionals’ medicines access practices, perceived effectiveness and influencing factors. Methods: On-line questionnaire survey of health care professionals (General Practitioners, Community Pharmacists, community-based Clinical Nurse Specialists and Community Nurses) delivering end-of-life care in primary and community care settings in England. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: One thousand three hundred twenty-seven responses were received. All health professional groups are engaged in supporting access to prescriptions, using a number of different methods. GPs remain a predominant route for patients to access new prescriptions in working hours. However, nurses and, increasingly, primary care-based pharmacists are also actively contributing. However, only 42% (160) of Clinical Nurse Specialists and 27% (27) of Community Nurses were trained as prescribers. The majority (58% 142) of prescribing nurses and pharmacists did not have access to an electronic prescribing system. Satisfaction with access to shared patient records to facilitate medicines access was low: 39% (507) were either Not At All or only Slightly satisfied. Out-of-hours specialist cover was reported by less than half (49%; 656) and many General Practitioners and pharmacists lacked confidence advising about out-of-hours services. Respondents perceived there would be a significant improvement in pain control if access to medicines was greater. Those with shared records access reported significantly lower pain estimates for their caseload patients. Conclusions: Action is required to support a greater number of nurses and pharmacists to prescribe end-of-life medicines. Solutions are also required to enable shared access to patient records across health professional groups. Coverage and awareness of out-of-hours services to access medicines needs to be improved

Connected by sea, disconnected by tuna? Challenges to regionalism in the Southwest Indian Ocean

Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles are at the center of industrial tuna extraction in the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO). In this paper, we show that, while a discourse of regionalism between the three islands is prominent, the possibilities of regionalism face deep challenges in relation to the tuna industry. This is due to three factors. First, local perceptions, especially amongst those working in and on the tuna industry, are in disconnection with an ‘Indianoceania’ vision. Second, the geopolitics between coastal states and distant water fishing nations create various entanglements including through fishing access revenue and foreign aid. Finally, the materiality of tuna can at times create competition as countries seek to individually maximize benefits from the industry. We argue that the active reinforcement of regional identity and collaboration around this resource is necessary to sustain local benefits into the future

The Paradox of Power in CSR: A Case Study on Implementation

Purpose Although current literature assumes positive outcomes for stakeholders resulting from an increase in power associated with CSR, this research suggests that this increase can lead to conflict within organizations, resulting in almost complete inactivity on CSR. Methods A single in-depth case study, focusing on power as an embedded concept. Results Empirical evidence is used to demonstrate how some actors use CSR to improve their own positions within an organization. Resource dependence theory is used to highlight why this may be a more significant concern for CSR. Conclusions Increasing power for CSR has the potential to offer actors associated with it increased personal power, and thus can attract opportunistic actors with little interest in realizing the benefits of CSR for the company and its stakeholders. Thus power can be an impediment to furthering CSR strategy and activities at the individual and organizational level

Variation in mitochondrial function in hypoxia-sensitive and hypoxia-tolerant human glioma cells

We have shown previously that human glioblastoma multiforme cells vary in their ability to survive under hypoxic conditions. Under oxygen limiting conditions, hypoxia-tolerant cells decrease their oxygen consumption rate whereas hypoxia-sensitive cells continue to consume oxygen at a relatively steady rate until the oxygen supply becomes exhausted. We now show that hypoxia-tolerant and hypoxia-sensitive cells exhibit distinct patterns of mitochondrial function in response to hypoxic challenge. Hypoxia-tolerant cell lines retain stable mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP concentration when incubated under oxygen limiting conditions. In addition, hypoxia-tolerant cell lines are consistently more sensitive to a wide spectrum of inhibitors of mitochondrial function than are hypoxia-sensitive cells. In contrast, the hypoxia-sensitive cells are unable to maintain stable mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels when incubated at reduced oxygen tension. These results demonstrate significant differences in the mitochondrial function between these two phenotypes and reinforce previous data that suggest a regulatory role for mitochondria in the development of hypoxia tolerance

Hidden Voices: Disabled Women's Experiences of Violence and Support Over the Life Course

Violence against women is a worldwide social and human rights problem that cuts across cultural, geographic, religious, social, and economic boundaries. It affects women in countries around the world, regardless of class, religion, disability, age, or sexual identity. International evidence shows that approximately three in five women experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. However, across the globe, women and girls with impairments or life-limiting illnesses are more susceptible to different forms of violence across a range of environments and by different perpetrators including professionals and family members as well as partners. However, they are likely to be seriously disadvantaged in gaining information and support to escape the abusive relationships. This article stems from the United Kingdom part of a comparative study with three other countries (Austria, Germany, and Iceland) funded by the European Commission (EC; 2013-2015). It presents preliminary findings, generated from life history interviews, about disabled women's experiences of violence and access to support (both formal and informal) over their life course and their aspirations for the prevention of violence in the future. The article includes examples of impairment-specific violence that non-disabled women do not experience. By bringing the voices of disabled women into the public domain, the article will facilitate a historically marginalized group to contribute to the debate about disability, violence, and support