Political Risk: Concepts, Definitions, Challenges

The present paper provides a synthetic overview of the history and latest developments in the field of political risk assessment for foreign investors. After reviewing the numerous definitions of political risk existing in the literature, "macro" and “micro” approaches to political risk assessment are discussed, with the purpose of highlighting their shortcomings and providing cues for discussion and further research. This version was circulated in occasion of the LUISS School of Government Annual Conference held on December 14th 2012, and dedicated to "Investing in the Age of Political Risks".The present paper provides a synthetic overview of the history and latest developments in the field of political risk assessment for foreign investors. After reviewing the numerous definitions of political risk existing in the literature, "macro" and “micro” approaches to political risk assessment are discussed, with the purpose of highlighting their shortcomings and providing cues for discussion and further research. This version was circulated in occasion of the LUISS School of Government Annual Conference held on December 14th 2012, and dedicated to "Investing in the Age of Political Risks".Refereed Working Papers / of international relevanc

Concept and measurement of political risk: from theory to practice

Concepts, definitions, challenges. Rating methodologies and the Arab Spring: a comparative analysis. Operationalization. The role of expert judgment

Pandemic narratives are key to understanding the policy responses of European governments to Covid-19

There are some striking differences in how European leaders have explained the Covid-19 pandemic to their respective audiences. Drawing on a new study, Amrita Narlikar and Cecilia Emma Sottilotta show how these narratives reflect the policy responses that governments have pursued since the first wave of infections

Concept and measurement of political risk: from theory to practice

Concepts, definitions, challenges. Rating methodologies and the Arab Spring: a comparative analysis. Operationalization. The role of expert judgment.Concepts, definitions, challenges. Rating methodologies and the Arab Spring: a comparative analysis. Operationalization. The role of expert judgment.LUISS PhD Thesi

Patient preference for needleless factor VIII reconstitution device: the Italian experience

Background: Needlestick injuries, mostly due to unsafe needle devices, are a frequent adverse event among health care workers and patients on chronic treatment, such as hemophiliacs. To improve the safety of these procedures, a needleless reconstitution system, Bio-Set\uae has been implemented for the sucrose-formulated recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII-FS) Kogenate\uae Bayer (Bayer Healthcare, Berlin, Germany). The aim of this study was to collect patients' satisfaction and safety data regarding the administration of rFVIII-FS with this new device. Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, postmarketing surveillance study collecting data from seven Italian Haemophilia Centers within the framework of an international project involving patients from nine European countries. The patients were asked to fill out two preference questionnaires (one assessing the old method and one assessing the new method) directly after the training and two further preference questionnaries (assessing the new method) after a period of about 3 and 12 months. Results: A total of 44 male hemophilia A patients were included in the analysis. At the end of the 12-month observation period, physicians assessed the patients' satisfaction with Kogenate\uae Bayer with Bio-Set\uae in 40.9% (n = 18) as "very satisfied" and in 45.5% (n = 20) as "satisfied", whereas "not satisfied" ratings were given for 9.1% (n = 4) of patients (data missing from two patients, 4.5%). The compliance of the patients compared with the last method before switch to the Bio-Set\uae device was rated as "better", "equal", and "worse" in 72.7% (n = 32), 20.5% (n = 9), and 2.3% (n = 1) of patients, respectively. Three patients (6.8%) experienced adverse events, but only one event was related to rFVIII infusion (inhibitor development in a patient who had little prior exposure to rFVIII) itself and not to the new device per se. Conclusions: The great majority of Italian patients who switched from an older method of rFVIII reconstitution to rFVIII-FS with the new reconstitution method preferred the new method. The ease of use, perceived safety from needlesticks, and the speed of reconstitution were identified as main advantages by the majority patients

Hyperhomocysteinemia and C677T MTHFR genotype in patients with retinal vein thrombosis.

Introduction: Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with the risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. Several studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) may predispose to retinal vein thrombosis (RVT) development. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between Hcy, C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype, and RVT in patients compared with controls. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the Hcy plasma level of 3114 consecutive participants in 2 Italian centers during a 2-year period. Hyperhomocysteinemia was found in 99 patients and 136 healthy participants. Of the 99 patients, 20 had RVT with a high prevalence of HHcy in the RVT subgroup (20.2%). This result suggested a possible relationship between HHcy and RVT development. We investigated 105 consecutive patients with recent diagnosis of RVT, and we compared them with 226 healthy controls to evaluate whether HHcy may be a risk factor for RVT. Results: the prevalence of HHcy was higher in patients compared with controls (34.3% vs 14.2%; P < .001). The MTHFR C677T genotype was found in 69 of 105 (65.7%) patients with RVT (heterozygosity: 40 of 105 and homozygosity: 29 of 105). The control group showed the presence of MTHFR C677T genotype in 169 of 226 participants (74.8%; heterozygosity: 100 of 226 and homozygosity: 69 of 226) without difference between the 2 groups (P = .08). Conclusion: our study suggests that HHcy is a possible risk factor for RVT development, while no association was found between RVT and the C677T MTHFR genotype

Use of Catridecacog in a patient with severe Factor XIII deficiency undergoing surgery

Despite many articles regarding the antihemorrhagic treatment and prophylaxis, there is a lack of experience about how to best conduct major surgical procedures in patients with congenital factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency. Here we report a case of surgery (right inguinal hernia, complicated by heaviness and pain) performed in a patient with FXIII deficiency, receiving recombinant FXIII prophylaxis (Catridecacog 35 UI/kg every 28±2 days). Our experience shows that Catridecacog can be used safely and effectively not only for continued prophylaxis but also in surgery and adds to the very limited body of evidence currently available on surgery in this bleeding disorder

Political risk assessment by multinational corporations in African markets: a Nigerian perspective

Political risk assessment (PRA) is one of the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the competitiveness of multinational corporations (MNCs), yet little is known about its use in African markets. This study critically investigates the PRA techniques used by MNCs in Nigeria and their applicability. It uses a multimethod approach to analyze data collected from MNCs and the data set of the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) PRA annual rating for Nigeria from 2011 to 2015. The findings reveal that most firms use qualitative, rather than quantitative, PRA techniques. Regional variations in the outcome of PRA within Nigeria could also contribute to the low use of quantitative techniques. This article identifies that firms are prepared to invest in Nigeria, in spite of high political risk, due to its economic and financial attractiveness. This article’s findings offer some implications for practice with some suggestions on how it could influence firms’ internationalization and their conduct of PRA