L’État et les firmes multinationales

The article argues that the state plays, and has always played, a key role in the internationalization of firms and that theoretical explanations of MNE should take that role into account. The first part of the paper deals with the place of the state in the theories of multinational firms ; most theories can be classified into three currents : those arguing the decline of the Nation-State as a consequence of the growth of MNE, those seeing the territorial expansion of the state as a natural consequence of multinationalism and those arguing the direct but weak thrust of the State in favour of MNE. The second section of the paper analyses the main types of government intervention pushing national firms into foreign operations. The third section studies the most evident case of government intervention on multinationalisation : the case of multinational state enterprises. The article concludes that the state should be included - an increasingly so - as a major purveyor of advantages to national firms seeking to initiate or pursue foreign activities

Survival in water of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from the slaughterhouse

Campylobacter jejuni cause gastroenteritis in humans. The main transmission vector is the consumption or handling of contaminated chicken meat, since chicken can be colonized asymptomatically by C. jejuni. However, water has been implicated as the transmission vector in a few outbreaks. One possibility is the contamination of water effluent by C. jejuni originating from chicken farm. The ability of C. jejuni to be transmitted by water would be closely associated to its ability to survive in water. Therefore, in this study, we have evaluated the ability of reference strains and chickenisolated strains to survive in water. Defined water media were used, since the composition of tap water is variable. We showed that some isolates survive better than others in defined freshwater (Fraquil) and that the survival was affected by temperature and the concentration of NaCl. By comparing the ability of C. jejuni to survive in water with other phenotypic properties previously tested, we showed that the ability to survive in water was negatively correlated with autoagglutination. Our data showed that not all chicken isolates have the same ability to survive in water, which is probably due to difference in genetic content

The Decline of North American Industry

SUMMARY While the US has not suffered significant falls in either absolute industrial employment or output during the post?war period it has experienced a relative decline in manufacturing, commerce and finance. This decline is documented and three policy responses to industrial decline are discussed: non?tariff protectionism, bail?outs and labour cost reductions. SUMMARY Data are presented to show the relative decline in the Canadian manufacturing sector since 1960. The evolution of Canadian industrial policy in the post?war period is described and it is argued that the design of industrial policy instruments makes them ineffective for dealing with industrial decline. RESUMEN La declinación de la industria norteamericana: I Estados Unidos Aunque Estados Unidos no sufrió caídas significativas en el producto o empleo industrial en términos absolutos, las manufacturas, la construcción y las finanzas experimentaron una declinación relativa. Se proporcionan datos sobre este proceso y se examinan tres políticas para enfrentar el descenso industrial: proteccionismo no tarifario, subsidios y reducciones en los costos laborales. RESUMEN La declinación en la industria norteamericana: II Canadá Se presentan datos para ilustrar la declinación relativa que sufre el sector manufacturero canadiense desde 1960. Se describe la evolución de la política industrial del país en la postguerra y se argumenta que los instrumentos diseñados para implementarla la hacen ineficiente para enfrentar la declinación industrial. SOMMAIRE Le déclin de l'industrie Nord?Américaine: I les Etats Unis Alors que les Etats Unis n'ont pas été affectés par des chutes significatives de leurs productions ou de l'emploi dans le domaine industriel strict dans la période de l'après?guerre, ils ont néanmoins expérimenté un déclin relatif dans l'industrie, le commerce et la finance. Ce déclin est analysé et trois réponses politiques sont envisagées: le protectionnisme non?tarifaire, les diminutions des garanties et des coûts salariaux. SOMMAIRE Le déclin de l'industrie Nord?Américaine: II le Canada Présentation de données destinées a prouver le déclin relatif du secteur industriel depuis 1960. L'évolution de la politique industrielle canadienne dans la période de l'après?guerre est analysée, et l'auteur affirme que la structure même de la politique industrielle rend cette dernière inefficace dans la lutte contre ce déclin