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Copyright of Estudos Ibero-Americanos is the property of EDIPUCRS - Editora Universitaria da PUCRS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Over the past two decades, there has been an increased focus on designing STEM learning experiences for primary and second-level students. We posit that for teachers to design rich learning experiences for their students, they must first have the opportunity to develop their own STEM knowledge and competences, either during their pre-service teacher education or as part of their professional learning as in-service teachers. This systematic review of literature examines programmes which offer either pre-service or in-service teachers immersive learning experiences through placements in STEM roles in business or industry. A total of nine papers were identified in this review, featuring three unique programmes--one in the UK for pre-service teachers, and two in the USA involving in-service teachers. The findings indicate a variation in motivation and structures across the three programmes. The influence on teachers' personal and professional development, and their intentions to change their classroom practices or behaviours to incorporate more 'real-world' contexts into their STEM learning activities, inspired by their experiences in industry, is discussed. This study presents recommendations for the design and implementation of immersive learning placements in industry to support STEM teacher professional learning, as well as suggestions for further studies to examine the influence on their classroom practice.

Purpose: Building on entrepreneurial learning research, the purpose of this paper is to argue that the students participating in foreign entrepreneurial education programmes can have realistic entrepreneurial learning experiences. This research addresses two specific questions: how situated ambiguity induced by a foreign culture may contribute to contextual entrepreneurial learning in education, and whether ambiguity induced by cross-cultural situated experience can stimulate critical reflection and important learning outcomes in entrepreneurship and increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Design/methodology/approach: The authors adopted a phenomenological perspective in the research, and used focus group interviews and the critical incident technique to investigate Norwegian master's students' experiences of entrepreneurial learning in a long-term practice in an American startup. Findings: The empirical findings reveal that the students perceived the foreign cultural learning setting as imbued with ambiguity and uncertainty. However, as the students enhanced their understanding of the culture and entrepreneurial milieu through observations and co-participating, they managed to adapt and develop new strategies and methods to cope with the new environment. Eventually, the students became more entrepreneurial and developed their ESE. Practical implications: The research demonstrates how educators can design educational programmes that approach real entrepreneurial learning contexts. Nevertheless, the research also displays several ethical dilemmas that educators need to address. Originality/value: The study delineates a new concept for educational designs called situated ambiguity, which reinforces the essence of situated entrepreneurial learning with cross-cultural learning. This concept offers a promising avenue for educators to approach real entrepreneurial learning in both theory and practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the current state of physician leadership. Theory of expert leadership (TEL) was applied to explore the effects of physician inherent knowledge, industry experience and leadership capabilities on leader behaviors and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This review (August 2011–February 2022) applied the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis strategy. Our search began with 3,537 studies and a final sample of 12 articles. Findings: The findings offer a number of studies that note the relationship between physician leadership and the three dimensions of TEL. How influential these are on leadership behaviors and health-related outcomes varies. We also found a number of studies that described general physician leadership behaviors that were not directly linked to factors of TEL, as well as two additional themes: leader identity and trust. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic review that has applied a highly cited theory (i.e. TEL) to the data and the first that has focused solely on a U.S. population. These findings offer healthcare organizations insight into the potential strengths and challenges of physician leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the association of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths with mental health, unemployment and financial markets-related search terms for the USA, the UK, India and worldwide using Google Trends. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use Spearman's rank correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between relative search volumes (RSVs) and mental health, unemployment and financial markets-related search terms, with the total confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as deaths in the USA, UK, India and worldwide. The sample period starts from the day 100 cases were reported for the first time, which is 7 March 2020, 13 March 2020, 23 March 2020 and 28 January 2020 for the US, the UK, India and worldwide, respectively, and ends on 25 June 2020. Findings: The results indicate a significant increase in anxiety, depression and stress leading to sleeping disorders or insomnia, further deteriorating mental health. The RSVs of employment are negatively significant, implying that people are hesitant to search for new jobs due to being susceptible to exposure, imposed lockdown and social distancing measures and changing employment patterns. The RSVs for financial terms exhibit the varying associations of COVID-19 cases and deaths with the stock market, loans, rent, etc. Research limitations/implications: This study has implications for the policymakers, health experts and the government. The state governments must provide proper medical facilities and holistic care to the affected population. It may be noted that the findings of this study only lead us to conclude about the relationship between COVID-19 cases and deaths and Google Trends searches, and do not as such indicate the effect on actual behaviour. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to investigate the relationship between the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the USA, UK and India and at the global level and RSVs for mental health-related, job-related and financial keywords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on business information literacy primarily focuses on business students. This paper instead explores business information literacy for students in liberal arts colleges: aside from career preparation, are there reasons to teach them to grapple critically with business information? This paper brings together survey findings, concepts from critical information theory, and the "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" developed by the Association of Colleges and Research Libraries to bear on this question. It argues that business information is a powerful genre for teaching core concepts central to both information literacy and liberal arts: critical inquiry, authority, access, incentives, rhetorical practices, and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's highly competitive world market, businesses can hardly maintain their competitiveness without strong innovation abilities. In the past, many Chinese enterprises have enjoyed success through imitation. But to continue to succeed in a global marketplace, they must develop ambidextrous innovation abilities. The resource‐based theory eloquently posits that competitive advantage is associated with different and heterogeneous resources. To obtain such resources, firms must establish an external network to acquire necessary knowledge and skills. In this paper, we develop a theoretical model linking network orientation, organisational improvisation, ambidexterity and competitive tension. We postulate that organisational improvisation has a mediating effect and competitive tension is a moderator. Empirical results (N = 340) show that (1) network orientation leads to both exploratory and exploitative innovations, (2) the above effect is mediated by organisational improvisation and (3) competitive tension positively moderates the effect between network orientation and organisational improvisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health and ecological harms created and spread by firms active in many unhealthy commodity industries (UCIs) have received considerable attention from the public health community. However, less focus has been paid to analysing the distribution of wealth and income – important social and economic determinants of health – by these industries. This study aimed to examine long-term trends in wealth and income distribution by publicly listed corporations active in four UCIs: fossil fuels; tobacco; ultra-processed foods; and alcohol. Quantitative analysis of a range of data was conducted for firms listed on stock exchanges in the United States (US). Wealth and income distribution metrics were analysed at the industry level, including effective corporate tax rates and shareholder value ratios. The equity ownership structures and investor location of 20 of the largest firms were also explored. Since the 1980s, US-listed firms in the examined UCIs have distributed much less of their wealth and income to governments and much more to shareholders and investors mostly based in high-income countries. The study provides evidence that firms active in UCIs create a 'double burden of maldistribution': their externalised social and ecological harms disproportionately affect disadvantaged population groups and governments in low- and middle-income countries; whilst, simultaneously, they are increasingly transferring wealth and income to a group over-represented by a small and privileged elite. The identified distributive injustice warrants increased policy attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of IoT appears to be based on trading off security for convenience. The futuristic technology brings with it a landscape scattered with vulnerabilities. The paper traces the exponential growth of IoT and its business potential. It then journeys into the dark alleys of IoT exposing the real and present dangers that the technology poses to all demographics and Nation- States. The paper then explores the cyber policy landscape in the USA, the EU and in India and analyses the procedural hazards for enforcement emanating fromthe principle of territoriality, which the cyber domain clearly poses a challenge to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The boundaries of what constitutes "sufficient" health have always been open and, as such, health care has proven to be an opportune area for profit growth. In the United States, the allure of health as a market commodity has proven very strong, but even here it cannot be a mere spontaneous product of the market. It requires government to foster and develop public policy that effectively promotes and maintains health care delivery across the population. Historically, U.S. public policy has veered away from anything akin to universal care, and it has typically been understood as an outlier among advanced industrial states. But, simultaneously, it is also the largest health care market in the world, soon to engulf a full fifth of its GDP. In this paper, I argue that the complicated dynamic between a growing market in health delivery and a patchwork of political reforms has encouraged "adaptive accumulation," a process whereby capital secures optimized accumulation outcomes from enhanced government intervention, deriving extra-market benefits along the way. To make this argument, I explore critical components of the health system, including Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, as well as the Affordable Care Act and its aftermath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the case study approach, this paper examines the formation of a pan-Asian American ethnic agency between leaders of corporate employee resource groups and Asian American subgroup ethnic agencies. Themes found consist of 1) formation of the partnership to raise funds for a natural disaster; 2) moving forward as a united pan-Asian American nonprofit organization; and 3) challenges ahead that include utilization of funds and power 4t agency community members. A better-resourced organization can facilitate increased chances of success as well as access to its services by the community in which it serves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a program session that focused on publishers’ experiences launching Open Access (OA) journals and lessons learned. The speakers discussed the current journal marketplace, current journal business models, and the possible shape of the OA landscape and marketplace in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports on the results of a mobile device security awareness and practice survey of one special type of small business referred to as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) within the U.S. Department of Transportation. As government contractors, DBEs have access to government information systems. With recent cyber-attacks on large corporations through their less secure subsidiaries, it is essential that DBEs take security precautions and do not become an illegitimate point of entry to government systems. This paper discusses the roles, responsibilities, and IT security weaknesses within the U.S. DOT and surveys 1088 DBEs about their mobile device security and mobile device business usage. Results demonstrate that the majority of DBEs failed to adequately address even the most basic mobile device security practices, potentially exposing government systems, which are already poorly secured. This paper provides a list of basic mobile device security recommendations for immediate DBE adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since their introduction in 2007, electronic cigarette (‘e-cigarette’) awareness and use has grown rapidly. Little is known about variation in e-cigarette availability across areas with different levels of tobacco taxes and smoke-free air policies. This paper looks at US retail availability of e-cigarettes and factors at the store, neighbourhood and policy levels associated with it. Methods In-person store audit data collected in 2012 came from two national samples of tobacco retailers in the contiguous US. Study 1 collected data from a nationally representative sample of tobacco retailers (n=2165). Study 2 collected data from tobacco retailers located in school enrolment zones for nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th and 12th grade public school students (n=2526). Results In 2012, e-cigarette retail availability was 34% in study 1 and 31% in study 2. Tobacco, pharmacy and gas/convenience stores were more likely to sell e-cigarettes than beer/wine/liquor stores. Retail availability of e-cigarettes was more likely in neighbourhoods with higher median household income (study 1), and lower percent of African-American (studies 1 and 2) and Hispanic residents (study 2). Price of traditional cigarettes was inversely related to e-cigarette availability. Stores in states with an American Lung Association Smoke-Free Air grade of F (study 1) or D (study 2) compared with A had increased likelihood of having e-cigarettes. Conclusions Currently, e-cigarette availability appears more likely in areas with weak tax and smoke-free air policies. Given the substantial availability of e-cigarettes at tobacco retailers nationwide, states and localities should monitor the sales and marketing of e-cigarettes at point of sale (POS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the regulatory situation for cannabis (Cannabis spp., Cannabaceae) in the United States, the premise of this proposed federal framework is to create a regulatory model specific to a plant-based end product that can be used for both social and therapeutic purposes. Cannabis products currently are being regulated at the state level, with the exception of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug products such as Epidiolex® (GW Pharmaceuticals; Cambridge, UK). The proposed framework, by design, defers to the existing state-regulated infrastructures by leaving state autonomy intact to the greatest degree possible, with minimal federal entanglement. Importantly, the framework also sets forth that the federal interface would be conducted via the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the cannabis plant would not be a federally scheduled substance. The full paper explains why this proposed dynamic is integral to the long-term success of the regulated cannabis market, and addresses why commonly cited frameworks, such as the alcohol and tobacco models, are not appropriate for a modern cannabis market. The scope of the proposed framework does not include the production, manufacture, or regulation of no- or low-THC hemp* or any crop cultivated under the provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill).[1] The cannabis plant has a long history of human use for different purposes and is one of hundreds of botanicals with therapeutic properties supported by clinical data and traditional use. The proposed framework is a 21st-century pathway to market for plant-based products that respects the efforts of the states and balances an appropriate federal intersection with long-term market interests. This article is taken from a longer paper by the authors and has been revised for HerbalGram. The full paper, as referenced in this article, can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/cannabisframework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nineteenth and early twentieth century American governments—local, state, and national—profoundly shaped diffusion of novel mathematical instruments. The federal government ran an office that judged what inventions were patentable and a legal system for those who defended or challenged patent rights. Governments at all levels employed inventors. Sometimes new laws required extensive calculations promoting invention and sale of computing instruments. Governments were customers for mathematical instruments ranging from teaching apparatus to adding and calculating machines to harmonic analyzers to tabulating machines. They not only bought goods, but set standards for what they would purchase. Government buyers also offered testimonials to businesses. From the 1890s, ant.itrust legislation led to some federal government oversight of corporations. Historians usually rely on documents to tell this story. This paper begins from objects—a few known only from patent descriptions, but most surviving in museum collections. This perspective complements rich existing accounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Sociology is the property of Canadian Journal of Sociology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

INTRODUCTION: Since 2008, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has performed job analyses on its member Diplomates by collecting relevant data, including demographics and income profiles as well as practice patterns and environment. These data have significantly contributed to the profession's application to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics requesting that "Acupuncturists" be assigned an independent Standard of Occupational Classification. As a result of the applications submitted in 2008 and 2016, a new code for Acupuncturists, SOC - 29-1291, will be included in the next edition of the BLS Occupational Handbook, which will be published in 2018. In addition to the demographic and clinical practice characteristics data identified by the periodic NCCAOM job analyses, the NCCAOM began collecting similar data from NCCAOM Diplomates during their 4-year recertification cycle. METHODS: Data collected from recertifying Diplomates (n=1047) collectively for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 were analyzed for trends and to provide a benchmark for the profession. Upon completion of their recertification application, Diplomates were asked to voluntarily complete a 28-item survey questionnaire. RESULTS: The outcomes of these surveys demonstrated that the acupuncture and Oriental medicine workforce is 70% female, averaging 52 years of age and approximately 13 years of experience. Responding Diplomates were from 49 states and two territories, including a small sample from other countries. Initial evaluation and treatment fees averaged $112 among the respondents, with an average return visit costing $78. Roughly 45% of the respondents worked more than 32 hours per week and 26.1% worked less than 20 hours per week. The average Diplomate treated 24 patients per week. The median income of Diplomates was reported to be between $40,000 and $60,000 per year. DISCUSSION: This descriptive research paper summarizes selected demographic, economic and practice setting characteristics for NCCAOM Diplomates each year, between 2014 and 2016, at the time of recertification. While the demographic profile of the Diplomates remained consistent (70% women, an average of 13 years in practice, and the majority in solo practice), there were some subtle changes that occurred between 2014 and 2016. One change indicated a greater number of practitioners working in other practice settings besides solo practice, such as hospital-based practice. Although the median annual income is in the range of $40,000 to $60,000, there were fewer Diplomates making less than $20,000/year and more earning greater than $100,000/year between 2014 and 2016. CONCLUSION: There are a variety of business models employed among Diplomates across the country. These vary by location, employment status, and pay structures. Further information on the success and failure of acupuncture practices should be researched and distributed to students and practitioners to assist in supporting the acupuncture and Oriental medicine community. Additionally, government agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, require nationwide data for policy decision-making and to publish annual reports as well as update their publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Those underage should not use tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems. A technologically-based solution developed by Juul Labs Inc to restrict underage access seeks to automate transactions, structurally mandate age-verification, and limit the quantity of JUUL products purchased per transaction. A pilot of this standards-based approach, referred to as RACS™ (Retail Access Control Standards), was conducted to assess efficacy. Methods: RACS was implemented at 171 stores within 3 retail chains selling tobacco products in 3 states. "Secret shopper" compliance audits, in which a mystery shopper attempted to purchase JUUL products, were conducted at participating stores before and after implementation of RACS, to test compliance with age-verification and product-quantity limits. Audit failure rates were compared pre- and post-RACS implementation to assess effectiveness. Comparisons were made overall, by chain, state, and failure type. Results: A total of 3990 audits were conducted. We found large, statistically significant reductions (p < .001) in failure rates for age-verification and compliance with product-quantity limits after implementing RACS, as compared to pre- RACS rates, declining to near zero. Conclusions: Utilizing enhanced access controls can be part of a comprehensive, evidence-based tobacco-control strategy to address underage use of all tobacco products, including JUUL. ACKNOWLEDGMENT & CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: Funding for this study was provided by Juul Labs Inc. Through Pinney Associates, Saul Shiffman provides consulting services on tobacco harm reduction on an exclusive basis to Juul Labs Inc. In that role, he acted as internal editor and coordinator for the papers in this special issue. Erik Augustson is a full-time employee of Juul Labs Inc. As Senior Director of Behavioral Affairs at JLI, he oversaw the conduct of the behavioral research reported in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opening of the Thai tobacco market, following action brought by the US Trade Representative under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, is seen as a key case study of the tensions between trade and health policy. Interpretations of the dispute cast it, either as an example of how trade agreements undermine national policy-making, or how governments can adopt effective public health protections compliant with international trade rules. As a UK-based company, British American Tobacco has been regarded as peripheral to this dispute. This paper argues that its close monitoring of the illegal trade during this period, the role of smuggling in the company's global business strategy, and its management of the relative supply and pricing of legal and illegal products after market opening provide a fuller understanding of the interests and roles of transnational tobacco companies and the government in this dispute. The findings have important policy implications, notably the role of effective governance in countries facing pressure to open their tobacco sectors, need to better understand corporate-level activities within an increasingly globalised tobacco industry, and need to address the intertwined legal and illegal trade in implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the globalization of commerce and the interdependence of world economies, prevention of fraud has become an issue of global importance. Major corporate frauds have been discovered in not only the United States but also in France (Vivendi Universal), Italy (Parmalat), India (Satyam Computer Services), and other countries. Accounting educators need to address the issue of fraud in accounting classes so that students will be aware of both the magnitude and frequency of fraudulent financial reporting as well as other types of fraud and corruption. New accounting graduates need to understand how they can help to prevent and/or detect fraud within their organizations. One way to help raise students' awareness of fraudulent schemes and the pervasiveness of fraud is to provide them with real world data about different types of fraud, types of perpetrators, types of victims, and the magnitude of financial losses from fraud. This paper provides suggestions for using the "Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse," published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, as a resource to provide topics for discussion and research in accounting and other classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there has been significant historical interest in President Kennedy’s approach to Africa, historians have not considered in-depth how American economic aid to Africa became tied to the expansion of US business involvement on the subcontinent. A close examination of these issues reveals that the Kennedy administration saw the US Agency for International Development (USAID)’s economic aid programs as a critical mechanism for the resolution of America’s balance of export payments problems, and that Kennedy administration officials worked assiduously to bring American corporate interests to bear on questions of African economic development. This essay argues that the Kennedy administration promoted and fostered an environment that encouraged increased American business investment in Africa. This contention emerges from an analysis of the evolution of Kennedy’s views on Africa, including his support for African nationalist aspirations and for economic development and education, and their impact on administration policy. We examine sources from the Kennedy administration and from the papers of G. Mennen Williams, Kennedy’s Undersecretary of State for Africa and in so doing, we argue that the Kennedy administration fostered an approach to sub-Saharan African economic development that forged a robust relationship between government aid and American business investment. The Kennedy administration’s embrace of the principles of free enterprise heralded a major shift in US relations with Africa. This point is further underscored by our examination of the significant growth of US-headquartered multinational corporations’ investments in Africa during and immediately following Kennedy’s presidency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Business in the urban informal economy can be seen as a challenging terrain with enormous hurdles for women entrepreneurs. This paper explores major barriers that obstruct smooth development of women entrepreneurship in Uganda’s urban informal economy. The study provides some useful academic insights and offers some practical suggestions for improving policy for women entrepreneurs. The value of this research lies in providing significant insights related to the initiation of policies and programs for entrepreneurship development, but also in increasing women’s involvement in the urban informal economy through a better understanding of the gender-based barriers to entrepreneurship. It is hoped that the study will influence business development in the urban informal economies of Uganda in particular, and Africa in general. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: A growing body of research has found a link between firearm availability and police shootings of citizens across place. The problem, however, is that the previous studies on the topic tend to suffer from several limitations: a near exclusive focus on citizen fatalities, units of analysis at the state or county levels, and a variety of proxy measures tapping into community-level firearm access. The current study set out to address these issues by examining the relationship between different forms of firearm availability and both fatal and nonfatal injurious police shootings of citizens at the city level. Methods: More specifically, it merged The Trace's "Missing Pieces" measures of guns reported lost and stolen to police as well as licensed firearms dealers across jurisdictions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as proxies for firearm availability with data on police shootings of citizens in California and Florida from California's URSUS system and the Tampa Bay Times' "Why Cops Shoot" database, respectively. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed on a sample of 253 cities across the two states and a sub-sample of cities with licensed firearms dealers. Results: Findings uncovered a small positive association between rates of federally licensed guns stores and the number citizens shot by police as well as police shooting incidents while controlling for several community-level measures (e.g., concentrated disadvantage, gun homicide rates). Rates of guns lost or reported stolen were generally not significantly associated with the outcome measures in the multivariate models. Conclusions: Firearm availability is a significant correlate of police shootings. Pooled counts of both citizens shot by police and police shooting incidents are heightened in jurisdictions with higher rates of licensed gun dealers, which may be due to the fact that all firearms sold in the USA first make their way to the public through these mechanisms. Such licensed gun dealers must be appropriately monitored and audited to reduce illicit behavior and prevent firearms from making their way into secondary markets. Addressing access to firearms can be meaningful for a host of gun-related morbidity and mortality outcomes, including police shootings of citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the orthopedics markets in the US and the EU reaching a plateau, the market size in countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China is steadily growing. As a result, major orthopedic companies are shifting their focus towards these markets and developing products tailored to their needs. However, a significant challenge associated with this new opportunity is the requirement for the development of more affordable prostheses compared to those sold in the US and Europe. With the introduction of these lower-cost models into the market, this article aims to assess their performance in comparison to traditional models. A literature review was conducted, analyzing four parameters—the Hospital for Special Surgery Score, Knee Society Score, Range of Motion, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index—to evaluate different models. The findings indicated that low-cost models perform either equally well or, in some cases, slightly worse than traditional ones. It is worth to mention that the existing literature on this topic is limited, resulting in a relatively small number of models and studies included in this specific study. Nevertheless, this latter serves as a valuable foundation for future in-depth analyses and investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to reflect on some policy possibilities and outcomes for three countries of interest suggested in Porter's The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Design/methodology/approach -- This research was both exploratory and qualitative in nature and utilized an in-depth case study approach of three major international economies reflecting previous observations in The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Personal contemporaneous observations of individuals in the countries of interest were complemented by current secondary information. The three countries selected for analysis, South Korea, Sweden and the USA, reflected different stages of development at the time The Competitive Advantage of Nations was published and certainly different progress since then. Findings -- The Competitive Advantage of Nations advocated new, constructive and actionable roles for government and business. These observations can now be tested after a reasonable time of development. In terms of development, Korea would appear to be the star of the group; Sweden has made strong progress in comparison with other members of the European Union. Although there are areas of strength, the USA recently has lost much of the edge it had at the time of the Advantage's publication. Research limitations/implications -- Because this research was built on case studies, one has the reservations common with that approach. On the other hand, case studies are acknowledged as useful in the identification of important variables in situations in which there is little control over events in a real-world context. Practical implications -- Countries must go their own way and find their own paths to success. In some ways, directions are suggested by Schumpeter (1942/1975) and in others, by Porter (1990/1996). Chance appears to have played a role in development in each instance, but government, seen as a fifth determinant possibility by Porter, heavily affected outcomes in each instance. Originality/value -- Although relying heavily on Porter, results add insight into the development of economies over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is the most devastating pandemic that affected humanity and the world economy. This paper aimed to study the time-varying connectedness between the COVID-19 vaccination, infection rate (INFR), and the case fatality ratio (CFR) in the United States and the stock market returns. We used COVID-19 daily confirmed number of infections, deaths, and vaccinations and the daily US stock market index return. A wavelet coherence approach was used to assess the co-movement of the US stock market with the COVID-19 vaccination, INFR, and the CFR. The COVID-19 vaccination, INFR, and CFR have a positive and significant influence on S&P 500 returns at the majority of business cycle frequencies with an in-phase relation. The wavelet coherence analysis uncovers strong and significant connectedness between COVID-19 vaccination rate and S&P 500 return. From an economic perspective, the US government should continue its intervention with their vaccination strategy, as it is beneficial for fighting the pandemic. This may lead to the recovery of the stock market as well as to the whole economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate voluntary pledges to improve the health of Americans have not been held to either explicit measurable outcomes or a framework for independent evaluation. The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), whose members include 16 of the nation's leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) food and beverage manufacturers, voluntarily pledged to collectively sell 1 trillion fewer calories in the U.S. marketplace by 2012 (against a 2007 baseline), and sell 1.5 trillion fewer calories by 2015. This paper presents the findings of an independent evaluation of the 2012 HWCF marketplace pledge, conducted in 2013. The 16 HWCF companies collectively sold approximately 6.4 trillion fewer calories (-10.6%) in 2012 than in the baseline year of 2007. Taking into account population changes over the 5-year period of 2007-2012, CPG caloric sales from brands included in the HWCF pledge declined by an average of 78 kcal/capita/day. CPG caloric sales from non-HWCF national brands during the same period declined by 11 kcal/capita/day, and there were similar declines in calories from private label products. Thus, the total reduction in CPG caloric sales between 2007 and 2012 was 99 kcal/capita/day. This independent evaluation is the first to evaluate food industry compliance with its calorie reduction pledges and to assess how sales from the CPG food and beverage sector are changing. An accompanying paper investigates the extent to which the HWCF pledge affected household-level changes in CPG calories purchased, controlling for important economic and sociodemographic factors affecting household food purchases over this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on family firms' employment practices remains equivocal with findings from studies framed on the basis of stewardship and socioemotional wealth (SEW) preservation perspectives suggesting that family firms are better employers than nonfamily peers, and findings from studies grounded on agency theory suggesting the opposite. Arguing that these two perspectives are not mutually exclusive, we theorize that, consistent with notions of compensating differentials, pay practices in family firms offer a compensatory balancing of lower base pay with pay forms and benefits signaling the kind of caring, support and long‐term commitment typical of such firms. Accordingly, while, consistent with an agentic perspective, pay rates in nonfamily firms may be higher than in family firms, consistent with the stewardship/SEW perspective, we argue that pay and benefits may be structured to offer greater long‐term reward security in family firms. Focusing on reward practices among employees in a single job in a single industry (i.e., truck drivers), we find that where there are differences, they generally favor family firms, with a significantly higher proportion of family firms paying on the basis of fixed salary (as opposed to more variable hourly/mile‐based rates), and with those firms paying hourly offering typical and "floor" rates higher than those offered by nonfamily firms. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brands have taken notice of the age of #MeToo, by producing thoughtful advertising aimed at empowering women -- Femvertising is winning over both marketers and females. This paper looks at femvertising as it reflects a renewed interest in women's rights and role in society and what that means for brands and marketers. More than ever, women are seeking esteem from m arketers showcasing real women to sell brands. Femvertising is also a champion of equality, leading the way for brands to take societal accountability in marketing to not only sell but also empower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are disproportionately unemployed, underpaid, and underemployed despite their desire and capacity to work. The U.S. federal/state vocational rehabilitation (VR) program, under the supervision of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), is charged with providing services to assist eligible PWDs (VR consumers) in achieving employment. Despite research showing that VR consumers closed to self-employment (vs. non-self-employment closures) have better outcomes, self-employment is often considered as a last resort. Moreover, some evidence suggests self-employment (like non-self-employment) outcomes are associated with VR consumers' gender and racial/ethnic identity. The objective of this study was to determine trends of case closures in self-employment among PWDs within the VR program from 2011–2013 to 2017–2019 and to examine the effects of gender and race/ethnicity on self-employment outcomes. Variables of interest were obtained from RSA's Case Service Report (RSA-911) data set for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Data were recoded and analyzed. The number of closures in self-employment declined significantly. Weekly earnings in self-employment increased. Time from application to closure in self-employment decreased. Differences in VR self-employment outcomes by race/ethnicity and gender were noted. Efforts should be made to increase competency in self-employment of VR counselors and promote self-employment within the VR program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of music therapy private practices in the United States is growing. While it is thought that improving business skills can improve business success, it is not clear what business education was received by music therapy business owners (MTBOs). The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore MTBOs business education in the United States and their views on business education for music therapists and music therapy students. Following an interpretivist theoretical framework, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 MTBOs representing all seven regions of the American Music Therapy Association. Using thematic analysis, we created five themes with supporting subthemes. Our findings indicate that the amount of business education participants received as students did not match the amount of business education they perceived necessary to be business owners, and that they sought out additional training from a variety of sources. Participants' views on music therapy business education and skills important for business ownership in the field of music therapy are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the effects of hospital and insurer markets concentration on transaction prices for inpatient hospital services.Data Sources: Measures of hospital and insurer markets concentration derived from American Hospital Association and HealthLeaders-InterStudy data are linked to 2005-2008 inpatient administrative data from Truven Health MarketScan Databases.Study Design: Uses a reduced-form price equation, controlling for cost and demand shifters and accounting for possible endogeneity of market concentration using instrumental variables (IV) technique.Principal Findings: The findings suggest that greater hospital concentration raises prices, whereas greater insurer concentration depresses prices. A hypothetical merger between two of five equally sized hospitals is estimated to increase hospital prices by about 9 percent (p < .001). A similar merger of insurers would depress prices by about 15.3 percent (p < .001). Over the 2003-2008 periods, the estimates imply that hospital consolidation likely raised prices by about 2.6 percent, while insurer consolidation depressed prices by about 10.8 percent. Additional analysis using longer panel data and applying hospital fixed effects confirms the impact of hospital concentration on prices.Conclusion: The findings provide support for strong antitrust enforcement to curb rising hospital service prices and health care costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research parks across the globe have attempted to duplicate North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. Few, however, have achieved its size, scale, and success. Understanding the success of Research Triangle Park, or recreating it elsewhere, requires understanding the Park's beginnings. By detailing the Park's history, this Article examines how the Park's early transformation from a for-profit venture to a non-profit enterprise fostered the collaboration between government, business, and area universities necessary to the Park's longevity and success. Although the Park's unique history did not create a blueprint for future parks to follow, important lessons from the Park's transition from a private venture to a public enterprise can be applied globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific aim was to characterize retail purchases of red and processed meat and other major protein-rich foods in the U.S. and by state. Supermarket scanner data from grocery stores, supermarkets, and big box stores collected from 2017-2019 (NielsenIQ, New York, NY) was used to characterize retail purchases of red meat, processed meat, and other protein-rich foods in thirty-one states representative of US retail food sales. Red meat, processed meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, other meats, and non-meat foods (beans, nuts, seeds, meat alternatives) by weight accounted for 25.9%, 20.4%, 25.8%, 5.9%, 12.6%, 1.3%, and 10.1%, respectively of total sales in 2017-2019. Mean per capita purchases of red meat by weight was 30.1 g/d, ranging from 45.4 g/d in Mississippi to 21.9 g/d in New York. Mean per capita purchases of processed meat by weight was 23.8 g/d, ranging from 36.6 g/d in Mississippi to 15.2 g/d in California. We observed statistically significant correlations between red and processed meat purchases with cardiovascular mortality and colorectal cancer by state. Per capita retail purchases of red and processed meat appear to reflect a dietary pattern that is not consistent with current national and international dietary recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is a common pathology throughout the industrialized world, and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are often administered to treat elevated lipid levels. Substantial concern has been raised regarding the aggressive clinical lowering of cholesterol, particularly in light of a growing body of research linking low circulating lipid levels with negative behavioral outcomes in both human samples and non-human primate models. In 2009, Goldstein and colleagues tentatively speculated that the greed, impulsiveness, and lack of foresight that lead to the worldwide economic collapse in 2007-2008 could have been caused (in part) by depressed population cholesterol levels resulting from the widespread use of statins by workers in the financial services industry. This paper reviews the literature that links low circulating lipid levels with neurobehavioral dysfunction, develops Goldstein and colleagues' initial speculation into a formal hypothesis, and proposes several specific studies that could rigorously empirically evaluate this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses four examples of risk regulations in the United States, namely vehicle emissions, appliance efficiency, chemical safety, and the labeling of genetically modified food. In each example, consumer or environmental regulations were initiated at the state level despite business opposition. But when faced with a multiplicity of state product regulations, the affected firms decided to support the expansion of federal regulations. They were willing to accept stronger federal standards in order to preempt individual states from enacting more stringent standards than the federal government. This, in turn, led to a conflict between firms who wanted federal preemption of state restrictions and states who wanted to be able to enact regulations more stringent than those of the federal government. The outcomes of each of these conflicts over the scope of federal preemption had important impacts on each multilevel governance regulatory regime. The ability of both levels of the American government to enact more innovative risk regulations – often referred to as dynamic federalism – has made it more likely that they will be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]