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Purpose – This study estimated total import demand elasticities concerning income, import prices and domestic prices. A high propensity to import constitutes a significant obstacle to economic growth in Mexico since the benefits of increased exports or any other aggregate demand expansion leak to the rest of the world. Design/methodology/approach – This paper estimated a Vector Error Correction Model of the total import demand elasticities concerning income, import prices and domestic prices. Total imports are a dependent variable, while Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and import and domestic prices are the independent variables. Findings –The principal finding is that an increase of 1 peso in the Mexican GDP leads to a rise of 0.50 pesos in Mexican imports; the elasticity of import demand for prices is low. Still, the elasticity of import demand for domestic prices is 2.14 times greater than that for import prices. These results have significant economic policy implications, such as promoting the expansion of the domestic market and the national content of exports. Research limitations/implications – It is tempting to estimate the import demand function for the entire 1993–2019 period since such data is available. But by doing so, the authors would overestimate the propensity to import, given that from 1993 to 2019, the proportion of imports as a percentage of GDP went from 11.37 in 1993 to 29.66 in 2019. Therefore, it makes more sense to estimate the import demand function from 2000 to 2019, a period with a stable proportion of imports to GDP. Originality/value – A high level of imports in developing countries means that much of their aggregate demand is filtered abroad. Therefore, the low impact of its exports on GDP is related to the Mexican economy’s high imports. The authors calculate this relationship with new data and methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the demand for mobility in higher education to understand the critical elements of students' mobility and the potential impact of accessing sustainable alternatives. The demand for different means of transportation accounts for socioeconomic variables such as household income and size, gender, age, among other travel factors such as distance, time, speed and direct cost. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a unique data set encompassing a representative sample of households across gender and municipalities in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area in Mexico. This paper uses the value of transportation time savings approach to estimate the derived demand for mobility in higher education across different means. The empirical strategy uses a linear utility framework in a multinomial non-ordered logit model to analyze the conditional selection of transportation as a function of sociodemographics, direct monetary costs and travel determinants such as travel time, distance and speed. Findings: Men students are more likely to use an unsustained transportation mode such as a car or cab than women. Income is a crucial determinant for transportation demand. There is a negative relationship between household income and walking or riding the bus but positive with driving a car. An increase in the time of the trip decreases the probability of walking while increasing the likelihood of using a car or riding the bus to school. Students who feel safe while riding a bus are more likely to use the bus or walk as transportation than using a car. Finally, having access to better quality sidewalks significantly incentive walking over other transportation options. Practical implications: Results show that individuals would almost always choose private vehicles because of the personal comforts and time savings. Social implications: Understanding the demand for higher education and access to sustainable transportation might provide new insights into campus planning and development. Access to public transportation options can reduce the travel costs for students with lower incomes and enlarge options for students who have to commute longer distances by car. Sustainable transportation access plays a role in promoting equality and economic development. Originality/value: This study's results bring new light on how transportation becomes an essential component of the opportunity cost of college education and could define its role in promoting equality or increasing inequality. This study's finding is of particular interest for cities where housing location seems to be independent of access to school, work or other amenities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This research aims to analyse the variables related to the purchase intention of COVID-19 rapid tests in Monterrey, Mexico's metropolitan area. Design/methodology/approach -- The chosen method was probit regression. The results show that purchase intention depends on the consumer's perceived value and the perception of having a potential contagion and/or presenting symptoms related to the virus. Regarding limitations, the sampling method used in this investigation is a nonprobabilistic convenience approach delivered through a digital platform, which may not be the first option in other contexts. Findings -- The findings indicate that the probability of the purchase intention of rapid COVID tests increases when consumers perceive symptoms of the disease and when they have higher education or are female rather than concerning price or income, as suggested by classical demand theory. Research limitations/implications -- Probabilistic sampling was impossible due to the difficulty of collecting surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a nonprobabilistic sample of a representative random selection of different zip codes from the responses received was considered. Originality/value -- The originality of the paper is its contribution to consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Latin American context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to understand the nature of traditional knowledge by examining how it is used and reinvented in the context of Xochimilco in Mexico City. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on field site visits and focus group interviews. Findings: Traditional knowledge was being reinvented in two contrasting ways. One was based on heritage tourism drawing on syncretism between Aztec and Spanish culture in the formation of Xochimilco. The other was agro-ecological focussed on traditional farming practices on the chinampas, their productivity, their ability to sustain biodiversity and their link to social justice. There were some common elements, such as a passionate concern with retaining a valued past in the face of growing threat. Research limitations/implications: Traditional knowledge is often seen as a static heritage, under threat. But it also has the potential to be a fertile source of strong identities and sustainable practices. Originality/value: The paper helps to conceptualise the dynamic character of traditional knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of fossil fuel prices – crude oil, natural gas and coal – on different electricity prices in Mexico. The use of alternative variables for electricity price helps to increase the robustness of the analysis in comparison to previous empirical studies.Design/methodology/approach The authors use an unrestricted vector autoregressive model and the sample covers the period January 2006 to January 2016.Findings Empirical findings suggest that crude oil, natural gas and coal prices have a significant positive impact on electricity prices – domestic electricity rates – in Mexico in the short run. Furthermore, crude oil and natural gas prices have also a significant positive impact on electricity prices – commercial and industrial electricity rates.Originality/value Two are the main contributions. First, this paper explores the nexus among crude oil, natural gas, coal and electricity prices in Mexico, while previous studies focus on the US, UK and some European economies. Second, instead of using one electricity price as a reference of national or domestic electricity sector, the analysis considers alternative Mexican electricity prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to review the efficient use of economic and social resources to generate income and, at the same time, reduce the concentration of wealth in the 32 states of the Mexican Republic during the period 1990-2015. Design/methodology/approach -- Data envelopment analysis with the inclusion of a bad output was used to diagnose the efficiency of Mexican entities, and the Malmquist--Luenberger index was applied to understand how this efficiency evolves. Findings -- The results clearly show that only 3 of the 32 units studied generated and distributed wealth efficiently, while the other 29 must increase their level of income and its distribution. Originality/value -- According to the authors' knowledge, this is the first work that performs a temporal analysis of the efficiency in the generation of Human Development Index using bad outputs and the Malmquist--Luenberger index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The authors describe the challenges and opportunities associated with developing an interdisciplinary sustainability programme in an emerging economy and illustrate how these are addressed through the approach taken for the development of the first postgraduate programme (MSc and PhD) in sustainability science at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The purpose of this paper is to outline an approach that has a potential for application in other parts of Latin America and perhaps more broadly in other world regions sharing some of the same challenges and opportunities as found in Mexico.Design/methodology/approach The implemented collaborative framework enabled a transformation of disciplinary research and teaching at UNAM into a postgraduate programme designed to generate cutting-edge educational and research capabilities. The approach to curriculum and programme design emphasized the process and methodological framework for curriculum development as much as the outcome itself. It entailed three primary elements: theory on collaborative processes; the curriculum design approach; and a formative and summative evaluation.Findings Several of the challenges faced were related to the nature of the institution (mainly because of the complexity of its organization and the emphasis in maintaining disciplinary boundaries), as well as to the curriculum development and design approach (acceptance of a competency-based programme appropriate for the MSc but considered restrictive for the PhD). The experience the authors relate in this paper exemplifies how to cope with such challenges. The approach enabled the emergence of a shared vision that was appropriated by all the participants. This ultimately empowered them in the presentation of the curriculum to their disciplinary peers. Furthermore, the approach facilitated the creation of a programme that remained salient along the process, while increasingly gained legitimacy and credibility among the academic community.Social implications In Mexico, the number of sustainability practitioners and scientists is still insufficient, and there is a clear lack of capacities in key themes and tools. UNAM combines a strong scientific tradition and a foundational mandate to serve both the country and humanity and is, thus, a natural platform for developing a higher education programme in sustainability science. The approach taken in the development of UNAM’s programme has useful lessons for the development of similar programmes in other developing nations facing similar educational and institutional challenges.Originality/value This model not only resulted in an innovative and novel programme in sustainability education but also, in the process, strengthened the competencies of diverse stakeholders through a systematic collaborative framework that fosters sustainability as a social learning process. Such experience illustrates the advantages of implementing a collaborative approach to enable the emergence of a critical mass capable to handle the diversity presupposed by a curriculum in sustainability science. It also shows how such a collaborative process can be implemented to overcome the limited resources, lack of experience in sustainability education and strong disciplinary focus that hampers the advancement of higher education in institutions similar to UNAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for assessing and characterising the state of development of a civil protection (emergency preparedness) system, with particular attention to the local level, where such systems are rooted. Design/methodology/approach – Groups of indicators are suggested as a means of evaluating each component of the system. The paper proposes a means of using these to identify which parts of the system are most in need of development and additional resources, something that will also depend on local hazards, vulnerabilities and priorities. In order to illustrate the methodology, an example is presented from the town Teziutlán in the central Mexican state of Puebla. Findings – The civil protection system of Teziutlán is in the midst of a long, difficult and uneven phase of growth, in which there are both encouraging developments and seriously neglected elements. Analysis of Teziutlán using the indicators listed in the preceding methodological section enables a model to be proposed for the emergence of a system of emergency preparedness and response at the local level. Research limitations/implications – This paper proposes a simple methodology and uses one very modest example to illustrate it. However, civil protection systems at many scales and in many countries would benefit from evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. Practical implications – It is hoped that this will be of use to those who wish to evaluate the development of local and regional civil protection elsewhere in the world. Social implications – Improvement of response capabilities is crucial to the development of a better civil protection system and the protection of the population against disaster. Originality/value – Although assessment is widely used in science, technology and business, it has rarely been applied systematically to emergency management and civil protection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Has the Mexican inter-regional growth and convergence experience also occurred within single regions? Using the important southern region of Veracruz, the purpose of this paper is to examine this question over a 48-year period within a single Mexican state. Design/methodology/approach -- Growth is examined using a standard two input stochastic production function (SPF) that creates a measure of technical efficiency. Convergence is measured using a convergence equation from the literature but which also included the results from the SPF analysis to incorporate not only initial levels of inputs but also the ability of a municipio to utilize these inputs. Data collection in Mexico and online included a long run database of 149 municipios in Veracruz from 1960 thru 2008. Findings -- A stochastic Cobb-Douglas technology is found to fit the long run growth of Veracruz province well. In the 1960s, 2000s and the long run (1960-2008), weak evidence for the municipios in Veracruz appear to be converging with a relatively higher level of technical efficiency resulting in slower growth of industrial labor productivity is found. Some very recent improvement in technical efficiency may be the result of institutional as well as economic reforms finally allowing an exiting of inefficient firms that has kept the levels of municipio industrial technical efficiency stagnant for decades at about 70 percent. Research limitations/implications -- Data were limited to 149 municipios because of the need to track long run trends. Data were also limited by the need to use what was available in 1960 in a direct comparison with 2008. The design of the study was to use the technical efficiency index as a proxy for much of the missing data on institutions in the historic period. Panel data were used because the economic census is not done every year plus the turmoil in the Mexican economy in the 1980s thru the end of the 1990s make imputation of missing years at the local level quite difficult. Practical implications -- The paper provides a baseline to analyze the long run intra-regional economic growth of other Mexican states which have a large number of municipios. It begins the exciting possibility of looking at Mexican long run growth from the municipio level which has historically played an important role in Mexico. Originality/value -- This is the first study to examine long run growth within a Mexican state at the municipio level using both the production function and convergence literature. Results suggest several avenues for further research inside Veracruz and across Mexico. Paper type Research paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent of risk rationing among potential rural borrowers in Mexico and China. Design/methodology/approach – Using primary survey data from 730 farm households in the Shaanxi province of China and from 372 farmers in northeastern Mexico, the authors investigate factors associated with risk rationed, price rationed and quantity rationed farmers. The survey was instrumented to self-identify borrower typologies. In addition the authors created within the survey a discrete-choice credit demand build to determine borrower credit demand elasticities. The analysis applies a linear probability which the authors found to be consistent with multinomial and binary logit models. Findings – The authors find in China the incidence of risk rationing in farmers to be 6.5, 14 percent for quantity rationed and 80 percent for price rationed. In Mexico, 35 percent of the sample is risk rationed, 10 percent quantity rationed and 55 percent price rationed. The results from China support the hypothesis that the financially poor are more likely to be quantity rationed; in Mexico, however, the level of education is found to be important in determining quantity rationed. In both countries, asset wealthy farmers are less likely to be risk rationed; however, income does not appear to have an impact. The paper provides evidence that the elasticity of demand for credit is different among the three credit rationed groups: risk rationed, price rationed and quantity rationed. Risk aversion and prudence are significantly correlated with risk rationing in China, while only risk aversion is significant in Mexico. The results suggest that efforts to enhance credit access must also deal with risk and risk perceptions. Practical implications – Risk rationing is an important concept in the understanding of rural credit markets. The findings that only 6.5 and 35 percent of Chinese and Mexican farmers are in stark contrast to each other. For agricultural economies such as Mexico with a significant number of farmers being risk rationing, more effort should be put into financial education and financial practices, including perhaps the use of risk-contingent credit to remove collateral risk. As property rights in China evolve, and new laws are promulgated to permit borrowing against land use rights, the collateralization issue will become much more important in rural credit markets. Originality/value – This paper is the first to investigate risk rationing in China and Mexico and one of the few research studies empirically investigating risk rationing. A comparative analysis of Mexico and China is enlightening because of the structural differences in the respective agricultural economies. The use of a credit demand build and the enumeration of individual credit demand elasticities is an original contribution to this literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between infrastructure and total factor productivity (TFP) in the four major Latin American economies: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Design/methodology/approach – The authors hypothesise that an increase in infrastructure has an indirect effect on output by raising productivity. To assess this theory, the traditional Johansen methodology was used for testing the cointegration between TFP and physical measures of infrastructure stock, such as energy, roads, and telephones. The Lütkepohl, Saikkonen and Trenkler Test, which considers a possible level shift in the series and has better small sample properties, was applied to the same data set and the two tests were compared. Findings – The results do not support a robust long-term relationship between the series; the authors do not find strong evidence that cuts in infrastructure investment in some Latin American countries were the main reason for the fall in TFP during the 1970s and 1980s. Originality/value – The present paper addresses the empirical relationship between infrastructure and economic growth for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico between 1950 and 2000, using new time series econometric methods finding new evidences on this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide a description and reflection on some of the structural problems and challenges faced when developing a digital humanities (DH) project in a Mexican public university. Design/methodology/approach – As DH is a relatively new field and practice in Mexican academia, this article is based on a case study of developing the Biblioteca Digital de Pensamiento Novohispano (Digital Library of New Hispanic Thought). This is one of the few DH at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), the largest public university in the country. Findings – It was found that there were three central problems for developing a DH project in a Mexican public university: existing technical knowledge and abilities at the UNAM will be challenged by DH projects; projects are the place to train human resources in DH methodology; and researchers need to consider different long-term infrastructure and hosting solutions, with or without using institutional infrastructure, at the same time researches need to work within the institution to establish a specific policy for research projects. Practical implications – The paper concludes that the structure, goals and products of DH projects need to be modified and expanded in order to also consider alternative goals and products such as: proposals of institutional policy, creation of infrastructure and academic and student training. DH projects must be regarded as disruptive, that is that the project needs to assume rupture as a part of the project itself. Originality/value – The experience of innovation and disruption is not necessarily the same in all fields and all institutions. This article documents for the first time the particular experiences of a public university in a developing country with DH projects. It has been found that the delay in using computers in the humanities in Mexico has led to the development of a specific paradox: a gap between institutional interest and disposition in the use of computers in humanities, and the lack of DH culture in those who have to develop the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to determine to what extent the scientific production and research activities of a group of National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) research institutes in the sciences, social sciences and humanities are visible on the internet with a view to identifying areas where web presence is not optimal so improvements can be made. Design/methodology/approach – The authors do this by analysing the relevant information on their web sites and by comparing institutional listings of scientific production between 2005 and 2006, with papers reported in the international, multidisciplinary online services of the Web of Science and Scopus, as well as in Clase and Periódica which cover production in Latin American journals. Findings – Results indicate general poor visibility of research activities and production in the institutional web sites with only limited access to full text articles. Web sites of the institutes in the sciences score better than those in the humanities and social sciences where book publication is an important research output. The official publication lists in the form of annual reports were found not to accurately represent production with additional papers attributed to the different institutions appearing in commercial databases. It is suggested that more effort should be directed towards improving the information content and access to research data on these institutional web sites, possibly through linkage to an UNAM repository. Originality/value – This is the first study to critically examine the visibility of research on Mexican academic web sites for which a series of indicators related to the different categories of research information which would ideally be found on institutional pages were developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper recounts how the Mexican National Sports Commission approached the creation and development of an Olympic sponsorship programme (CIMA). The lessons garnered are organised following Cornwell's (1995) model of sponsorship development. This paper provides a linkage between theory and practice and is written from the perspective of the sponsored entity; it thus provides both theoretical support for sponsorships as well as a case study that is contrasted to sponsorship theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The electronics industry has grown over the past 50 years, mostly in developed countries, contributing to their economic progress. Particularly in the Baja California State located in the northwest of Mexico, these companies have prospered in the industrial parks of Mexicali considered as an arid zone and Ensenada, a port and city on the Pacific Ocean considered as a marine region. In both environments, during winter and summer, the climate impacts on indoor conditions, affecting humidity and temperature, and generating corrosion which decreases the yields of the electronic devices and industrial machines. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of corrosion on electronic devices in these arid and marine environments. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The paper determines the corrosivity levels inside industrial plants of desertic and coast regions in Mexico, to evaluate the deterioration of electronic metals. Findings |!|#8211; Relative humidity, temperature, time of wetness, are recorded and related to the corrosion process in arid and marine environments. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; Some missing information about air pollution in Ensenada from some Environmental Monitoring Stations was a limitation, and the need to use complex atmospheric techniques. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper shows that it is very important to control metallic corrosion generated by climate factors and air pollution in indoor industrial plants: the corrosion of electronic devices and equipments depletes their yield and can lead to loss-making failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to discuss conditions for an effective application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the pursuit of sustainability for cities. Design/methodology/approach - After a brief overview of the possible contribution of ICT, the main findings of the CIBER study of the Google generation are summarised. The limitations and main focus on advanced countries in the present understanding of internet use are stressed. The current state of internet use in Mexico is summarised. Findings - The need for proactive global policies aimed at reducing imbalances between regions and income groups on the one hand and developing and supporting an information culture on the other hand is emphasised. Originality/value - The paper puts the "Google generation" and technopush discourses into perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Using three different measures, the aim of this paper is to investigate the channels through which ethnic linkages/networks affect the location choice of, migrants. Design/methodology/approach -- The authors estimate conditional logit models of the US location choice by Mexican migrants, using individual level data on Mexican-US migration collected by the Mexican Migration Project Findings -- The main finding is that the choice of Mexican immigrants to move to a region has a hump-shaped relation with the amount of fellow-Mexicans living there and with the amount of people coming from the same village. These effects are stronger for illegal immigrants and for first-time immigrants than for legal immigrants and repeat immigrants respectively. Mixed evidence is found for the effect of the total time the Mexicans from the same village have lived in the USA. Originality/value -- The paper formulates the location choice of Mexican migrants in the USA as influenced by: the number of Mexicans living in the US region; the number of Mexicans from the same village as the migrants living in the US region; and the total time the Mexicans from the same village have lived in the US region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to use psychological contracts theory to explore performance management practices in Mexico paying particular attention to the impact of national culture, social and structural factors. Design/methodology/approach - The paper examines the content of psychological contracts from the viewpoint of both parties in the employment relationship managers and employees in the context of performance appraisals. It conducted focus groups and interviews at these two organizational levels in three different organizations. Findings - Findings are organized around three themes: performance appraisal systems, the promises (fulfilled and unfulfilled) and the sources of terms and conditions as the content of psychological contracts for managing and participating in performance evaluation systems. For each theme the paper presents and contrasts the viewpoints of managers and employees. Practical implications - Because of the sensitive cultural nature of performance appraisals, the findings help managers implement this process by explaining the underlying psychological contracts in Mexico. Specifically, employees experience the socio-emofional behaviors that accompany performance evaluation and engage in the process at different levels of commitment. Both managers and employees respond according to their needs and what they perceive to be the company's reward. Originality/value - Performance appraisal has received little attention from studies of psychological contracts, though it is a key practice in which work promises and rewards related to performance are made. In this study, the paper brings these two research streams together and apply it to a culturally unique setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential effects of climate change on the habitat and human settlements in Mexico, through an analysis of three regions that are vulnerable to hydrometeorological hazards such as droughts, floods and hurricanes. Design/methodology/approach – The research process included fieldwork in the states of Oaxaca, Tabasco and Yucatán, and a historical study of hydrometeorological events in each region. The authors sought to identify a means of interpreting these events linked to climate variability, on the basis of the history of disasters, the environment and the habitat. The local climatic indications were compared to the IPCC’s global successes, to show that contradictions do not exist but that it is difficult to apply the IPCC’s findings at a local level, given the considerable margin of uncertainty. Findings – The indications of the effects of climate change make it possible to foresee that the most vulnerable populations will be the ones facing the strongest impact in the future. Practical implications – The research has direct implications on urban and housing policies, offering a roadmap to design climate change adaptation strategies; adaptive capacity not only requires political commitment. Social implications – It is also related to social and economic development and an “integral risk management” approach rather than a “civil protection” strategy. Originality/value – The main interest of this research is to show that a multidisciplinary approach is essential in order to understand the local implications of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the global crisis. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has withdrawn from developed economies and has substantially increased in emerging and transitional economies. In this scenario. Mexican MNEs have been spreading during the last four years. after starting their internationalization two decades ago. In this paper we show that the relationship between two factors-economic sector and geographical location of FDI - explains the difference in outcome of corporate operations during the crisis. While positive results have been found regarding investments in Latin America and Asia. less favorable results are registered in investments in Europe and the United States. These findings modify the theoretical approach on the "location determinants" of FDI. Our sources are enterprise's websites and direct surveys applied during the last four years for a sample of 20 of the largest MNEs in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Inclusion of animals in emergency contingency planning is not yet common practice in many countries. The purpose of this paper is to assess the need for and viability of such inclusion in Latin America. Design/methodology/approach – The study surveyed 1,882 pet owners in urban areas in Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico to evaluate perceptions of pet owners with regard to their animals in emergencies. Findings – Overall 74.5 percent (confidence interval 72.5-76.5) said they would take their animals if evacuated. Only 16 percent (14.5-17.8) would leave their animals behind. Regular vaccination was carried out by 70.5 percent of owners (68.0-72.5): from 63.6 percent (60.8-66.2 percent) in Mexico to 87.5 percent (84.3-90.0) in Colombia. People in lower socio-economic levels were less likely to take animals to the vet, or to vaccinate or identify them, and more likely to leave their animal behind during evacuation. Practical implications – Results indicate both the need and the likely success of an animal contingency planning process in urban areas of Latin America. Originality/value – This is the first survey of its kind concerning disaster preparedness for pets in developing countries, and counters the common perception that in such countries owners are less attached to their pets and that inclusion of animals in emergency contingency planning is not important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]