Determinants of equity changes in partial acquisitions of Finnish multinationals in foreign markets

Purpose – When entering foreign markets, multinationals can acquire part of a foreign firm and can increase or decrease their equity stake over time. However, extant studies have mainly focused on equity stake acquired during initial market entry. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – This study fills this gap by using the Uppsala model to analyze six cases of international acquisitions of Finnish multinationals in global markets. Findings – The authors found that firms change their equity stake in partially acquired foreign subsidiaries: when they have learned about the host country and businesses of the partially acquired firms, when they have gained target-specific experience, when they build trust and ensure relationship commitment and finally, when they jointly develop and exploit opportunities. Originality/value – This study is one of the first to apply the Uppsala model to empirically analyze international acquisitions, thus paving the way for behavioral and process-oriented approaches. The study contributes to knowledge of post-entry strategies of multinationals.©2019 Emerald Publishing Limited. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY–NC 4.0) license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

International joint ventures research on Africa : A systematic literature review, propositions, and contextualization

This study reviewed the research on international joint ventures (IJVs) in Africa up to 2017. The authors performed a systematic search of peer-reviewed good quality research using the 6W procedure and ensuring the quality of the review by using the 5Cs quality criteria. The content analysis was focused on four research questions. A total of 22 relevant studies were found. Overall, only about one-third of the lead authors were affiliated with African universities. A majority of the studies were quantitative, and 78% of the studies were done for three countries: Ghana, Morocco, and Nigeria. There was either just one or no study on trust and conflict, partner selection, and human resource management (HRM). At the contextual level, it seems that the most important factor influencing IJV strategy and success is institutions. We therefore suggest a greater use of institutional theory. Finally, we present a summary conceptual framework and four propositions to guide future research.©2021 Wiley. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Oguji, N., Degbey, W. Y. & Owusu, R. A. (2021). International joint ventures research on Africa: A systematic literature review, propositions, and contextualization, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21993. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.Version of Record online: 04 June 2018fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

EFFECT OF CONTAMINATED AIR ON RENAL INDICES OFNON-PREGNANT WOMEN IN BAYELSA STATE NIGERIA

This study determines some renal parameters of non-pregnant women exposed to polluted air and ascertains whether the increase in renal dysfunction is linked to the indiscriminate gas flares in Bayelsa state. A random sampling technique was used in this study. Participants within the ages of31-40 years of age had a non-significant higher uric acid concentration (4.03mg/dl) compared with age 41-50 (2.53mg/dl), age 21-30 had a significant increased urea (3.44mmol/l) compared to age 31-40 (3.41mmol/l) and 41-50 (3.06mmol/l).Creatinine concentration was significantly higher among age 31-40 (93.29µmol/l) in comparison with age 41-50 (90.33µmol/l). The prevalence of high urea, creatinine, and uric acid was (2%),(39%), and (2%) respectively. All the renal indices of non-pregnant women from the epicenter of contaminated air were all significantly higher compared to the control communities (Kolo and Otuagila) with decreased percentage difference except Immiringi having an increased percentage difference in uric acid concentration. in relation to the number of years exposed to contaminants, participants above five years of exposure were observed to have a significantly higher renal mean values concentration and a decreased percentage difference compared with less than five years of exposure. This study has confirmed that indiscriminate flaring of gases into host communities increases renal indices of non-pregnant women and could gradually result in renal dysfunction in the Bayelsa state

Predicting Post Outage Transmission Line Flows using Linear Distribution Factors

In order to design and implement preventive and remedial actions, a continuous performance of fast security analysis is imperative amid outages of system components. Following the contingency of a system component, State estimation and Load flow techniques are the two popular techniques used to determine system state variables leading to estimation of flows, losses and violations in nodal voltages and transmission line flows. But the dynamic state and complexity of the system requires faster means of estimations which can be achieved by linear distribution factors. The use of Distribution factors in form of Power Transfer Distribution Factors (PTDF) and Line Outage Distribution Factors (LODF) which are transmission line sensitivities with respect to active power exchanges between buses and transmission line outages offer an alternative to these two techniques being linear, quicker, and non-iterative. Following the estimation of the linear distribution factors from a referenceoperating point (base case) and contingency cases involving line outage, generator output variation and outage of a Six bus network using Matlab programs, the results show that by means of Linear Distribution factors quick estimates of post outage line flows can be made which match flow results obtained from DC load flow analysis

Pledging Engagement: Motivations and Intentions for College Sport Attendance among Greek-Letter Organizations

While ticket sales and revenue have remained relatively constant in collegiate athletics over the past decade, attendance has steadily declined. Given the range of entertainment options available, student attendance at collegiate athletic events has, specifically, declined. While athletic administrators are often revenue oriented, decreasing attendance has effects that span campus communities and cultures. As Greek-letter organizations are nearly ubiquitous within the higher education setting, fraternity and sorority members serve a unique opportunity area for engagement with fan attendance initiatives and future alumni giving. Accordingly, this study examined the motivations for attending collegiate athletic events as a member of a Greek-letter organization and the intention to attend collegiate athletic events as an alumnus of a Greek-letter organization. Findings illustrate that students and alumni that are affiliated with Greek-letter organizations have greater motivation to attend collegiate athletic events as students and greater intention to attend collegiate athletic events as alumni

Refinement and Preliminary Testing of an Imagery-Based Program to Improve Coping and Performance and Prevent Trauma among Urban Police Officers

Police officers are regularly exposed to traumatic critical incidents. The substantial mental, behavioral, and social costs of police trauma indicate a substantial need for prevention. We have refined and enhanced a previously tested Swedish program to the harsh conditions of U.S. inner cities. The program was designed to strengthen resilience during stressful encounters and teach methods of coping after exposure, thereby preventing the emergence of maladaptive symptoms and behaviors with adverse effects on professionalism. In an uncontrolled demonstration project, junior officers were trained by senior officers to engage in imaginal rehearsal of specific dangerous situations while incorporating optimal police tactics and healthy emotional reactions. A class of 32 officers in the police academy engaged in the program, and they and the trainers reported high satisfaction with it. After their first year of field work, 22 officers were reassessed. Compared to pre-training, these officers showed significant increases in the use of positive reframing and humor and significant reductions in anxiety and alcohol use over the year. Trauma symptoms did not increase. These results offer preliminary evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of this trauma prevention program for new police officers

Prediction of lung function using handgrip strength in healthy young adults

Background: Positive association between physical activity and spirometry have been reported to be possibly attributed to handgrip strength (HGS), particularly in the elderly. However, the nature of the association between HGS and lung function in young adults is still unclear. This study investigated the prediction of lung function using HGS in young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out on four hundred (400) apparently healthy medical students who are aged 16-30 years. Handgrip strength (dominant and non-dominant) and lung function (FEV1, FVC and PEFR) of these students were assessed using Jamar dynamometer and a portable spirometer respectively. Data was analysed using inferential statistics. Results: Independent t-test showed that the mean values of HGS and lung function of the males were significantly higher than the females (p<0.0005). The relationship between HGS and lung function indices was significant (p<0.0005) in all the participants but strongest for FEV1 (r = 0.64). The regression analysis showed that in addition to gender and height, HGS was a significant (p<0.0005) predictor of lung function. Regression equations were also proposed for the prediction of these lung function indices using HGS, gender and height. Conclusion: This study is the first to report HGS as a significant predictor of pulmonary function in healthy young adults living in a low-resource country. Hence, its use could enhance medical practice in being an indicator of lung function status in healthy young adults

Unemployment in Iraqi Refugees: The Interaction of Pre and Post-Displacement Trauma

Previous refugee research has been unable to link pre-displacement trauma with unemployment in the host country. The current study assessed the role of pre-displacement trauma, post-displacement trauma, and the interaction of both trauma types to prospectively examine unemployment in a random sample of newly-arrived Iraqi refugees. Participants (N = 286) were interviewed three times over the first two years post-arrival. Refugees were assessed for pre-displacement trauma exposure, post-displacement trauma exposure, a history of unemployment in the country of origin and host country, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Analyses found that neither pre-displacement nor post-displacement trauma independently predicted unemployment 2 years post-arrival; however, the interaction of pre and post-displacement trauma predicted 2-year unemployment. Refugees with high levels of both pre and post-displacement trauma had a 91% predicted probability of unemployment, whereas those with low levels of both traumas had a 20% predicted probability. This interaction remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic variables and mental health upon arrival to the US. Resettlement agencies and community organizations should consider the interactive effect of encountering additional trauma after escaping the hardships of the refugee\u27s country of origin

Evaluation of in vitro antimycobacterial activity of Nigerian plants used for treatment of respiratory diseases

The global threat of tuberculosis (TB) demands for search for alternative antimycobacterial drugs. Some Nigerian medicinal plants used in the treatment of TB and other respiratory diseases wereevaluated for activity against a clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a strain of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG). The crude methanolic extracts of eight plant species were screened foractivity against a clinical isolate of M. tuberculosis using broth microdilution method. Four out of the eight plant extracts exhibited inhibitory activities against M. tuberculosis at 78 and 1250 µg/mL. Thecrude extracts of Entada africana, Hymenocardia acida, Sterculia setigera and Stereospermum kunthianum did not inhibit significantly even at high concentration of 1250 ìg/mL. The hexane fractionsobtained after fractionation were the most active fractions for all the plants tested against BCG, having Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides exhibiting the highest activity at 312 and 200µg/mL, respectively. Fractions Ta5 and Al4 obtained on further purification exhibited most significant activity (MIC of 4.7 and 7.8 g/mL, respectively). From the results of phytochemical analysis, terpenes and triterpenoid saponins are the most prominent compounds in these fractions and several reports earlier indicated that these metabolites are potential antimycobacterial agents. This class of metabolites presents interesting area for further investigation with special attention on the Combretaceae family from Nigeria flora

Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Fungi Contaminants Associated with In Vitro Cultured Banana Based on ITS Region Sequence

This study characterized, identified and conducted phylogenetic analysis on fungi contaminants in vitro bananas based on the sequence of inter-space (ITS) regions. Genomic DNA was extracted from the pure culture of fungi contaminants, amplified and sequenced using ITS1 and ITS4 markers. Analysis of the sequences using MEGA 7 Software at higher similarity sequence identified five Aspergillus spp., three Penicillium spp., one each of Fusarium, Trichoderma and Cladosporium as the contaminants. The genetic distance between the fungi species was 0.205, which suggests a homogeneous substitution between the sequences, and thiamine was the most stable. The fungi clustered in three major groups at 0.10 genetic distance, subdivided into five clusters. A cluster and sub-cluster consisting of five Aspergillus strains; a major cluster of three Penicillium strains; a cluster comprising of Fusarium chlamydosporum and Trichoderma viride; and a sole fungi Cladosporium tenuissimum. The Aspergillus group were phylogenetically related to A. flavus and A. parvissclerotigenus, the identified Penicillium spp. were closely related to Penicillium citrinum while the detected Cladosporium aligned with Cladosporium tenuissium and Phoma multirostrata. The information provided by this study could be utilized to develop a specific and compelling sterilization protocol to minimize the rate of contamination during in vitro culture procedures