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This article illustrates the construction and usefulness of a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for Mexico, 2013, presenting the methodology used for its elaboration, as well as its characteristics and qualities as an accounting tool for the evaluation of economic policy linked to the study of economic growth and development. The SAM includes 21 economic sectors, four types of import goods industries, and four institutional sectors subdivided into low-, middle-, and high-income households; financial and non-financial corporations (public and private), government, and the rest of the world. Via inter-institutional analysis, SAMs allow for the detailed observation of the productive structure and the institutional sectors of the Mexican economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of a well-known methodology in the literature, this paper deals with the causals of structural change in the Mexican economy during the 1950s, characterised by the entrenching of growth tendencies, related to the development if the industrial and the services sectors. Results allow to say that growth was commanded by private consumption, as well as the dynamics of the internal market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses an integrated social reproduction theory (SRT) framework to highlight the interrelation between all non‐wage forms of survival, such as debt, community and the environment. The analysis demonstrates how Mexico's unregulated industrialization and social housing policies have created new forms of poverty and market dependency. The article relies on a comprehensive literature review and extensive fieldwork carried out in El Salto, one of Mexico's industrial peripheries, and shows how vulnerable populations become trapped, in this case on the banks of the Río Santiago, one of Mexico's most contaminated rivers. Parallel developments of industrial and housing policies contextualize the conditions unfolding throughout Mexico where populations are relocated to areas without adequate water and where drinking water is supplied by bottled water companies. This contribution highlights why an expanded SRT framework is valuable for understanding the relationship between ecological dispossession and the forced reliance on markets and debt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its beginning the 1980s, the globalized model of economic development in Mexico has generated paradoxical results. On the positive side, Mexico attained a privileged position among the mayor economies of the world by becoming the 13th largest exporter and the 12th main importer, while simultaneously turning into a high-ranking recipient of foreign direct investment. These positive results deeply diverge with the mediocre performance in economic growth and the high levels of unemployment, informality and poverty. In this paper we argue that these paradoxical results are the consequence of structural disequilibrium caused by the reorientation of production towards export-based global value chains, which did not contribute to the development of an integrated industrial sector with forward and backward linkages between foreign and local firms. The flows of trade and investment that were stimulated by the North American Free Trade Agreement (nafta) did not promote economic growth in Mexico because of structural weaknesses that derived from an exporting sector where foreign firms limited the value-added produced by local firms, and created an inelastic supply of imported inputs. Hence, the export-led model became a development strategy that weakened the capacity for the consolidation of a strong and dynamic internal market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We examine why Mexico's success as an exporter of manufactures has failed to translate into overall growth. • Our explanation hinges on the negative demand externalities of input outsourcing. • Outsourcing reduced demand for key manufacturing industries during 1980–1995 and 1995–2011. • The demand stimulus of industrial exports was lower in Mexico than in high-performing countries. • We use a model to examine the macroeconomic links between outsourcing and growth. Abstract In recent decades the Mexican economy has seen a dramatic expansion of exports of manufactured goods and imports of manufactured inputs. Mexico's integration with global production chains, however, has failed to produce sustained output and productivity growth. In this paper we propose an explanation for slow growth that hinges on the negative demand externalities of input outsourcing. We make two contributions. First, using input–output data we show that outsourcing has lowered domestic demand for the manufacturing sector, especially for capital-intensive basic industries. Second, we develop a model of outsourcing and capital accumulation and show that lower costs of outsourcing can hurt accumulation if, for the aggregate manufacturing sector, the negative effect of domestic demand shortfalls on profitability exceeds the offsetting effects of lower input costs and of export expansion. Our findings complement the broader literature on the apparent paradox of Mexico's success as an exporter of manufactures amid sluggish growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the link between economic growth and state industrial capital stock accumulation using panel data techniques in the time period 1960-2012. The analysis is done in two moments: the age of national industrialization (1960-1982) and the structural reform era (1983-2012). The results point to a long-term relationship in both periods, but with a sign opposite of the expected sign in the latter, suggesting that the deceleration of industrial capital can explain the slowdown over the past three decades. This result is confirmed with the decline of manufacturing, as well as other economic indicators. The causality tests demonstrate two-way causality between the two variables, evincing a virtuous cycle between growth and accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the third largest city in Mexico, Monterrey is a manufacturing hub that offers a provocative counterpoint to industrial cities in developed countries. Suburban sprawl, political instability, violence, social injustice, and de-industrialization illustrate increasing fragmentation--or terrain vague--where the conventional urban fabric unravels and less formal occupancies unfold. Defined by Catalan architect and theorist Ignasi Sola-Morales, terrain vague is expressed through obsolescence and various organic practices that react to depopulation and under-productivity. Investigating production and city-building, this article positions post-industrial Monterrey as a place of difference reflecting hybridized Latin American and American normative conditions. It surveys processes of industrialization and changing technology to situate iconic European and American architectural and urban precedents as forerunners of similar conditions in Monterrey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the United Nations approved a new international development agenda, known as the 2030 Agenda, consisting of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets. The agenda asserts the need for targeted actions to bolster sustainable economic growth, decent employment, and industrialization in all countries. This international strategic framework is of particular relevance to Mexico in light of its low-growth context, as well as its relative abandonment of active industrialization policies, for more than three decades now. This document provides a retrospective view of growth and industrialization in Mexico, and identifies challenges and obstacles in the current national context when it comes to achieving the targets set forth in Goals 8 and 9 on the 2030 Agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En años recientes se ha verificado un proceso de reestructuración industrial en las Zonas Metropolitanas del Valle de México (ZMVM) y de Toluca (ZMT). A pesar de la liberalización comercial, la ausencia de políticas industriales y los procesos competitivos derivados de la globalización, la actividad manufacturera ahí localizada ha mantenido su relevancia económica. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar y describir cuáles han sido las alteraciones en la estructura industrial de ambas regiones, durante el periodo 1993-2008, con respecto al perfil de especialización productiva y el grado de intensidad tecnológica. Los resultados muestran que se han consolidado segmentos industriales de baja intensidad tecnológica y la especialización productiva se ha orientado hacia los sectores de alimentos, la química y el equipo de transporte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the impact of Mexican trade and productive integration processes during the last 20 years. It finds evidence that growing per capita income in Mexico is directly related to its "trade opening", but is inversely related to the growth of its manufacturing export industry. Specifically, for each point of growth in "trade opening" (as a proportion of GDP) per capita income grew by 0.22%; while each point of increase in the share of industrial exports reduced income per person by 0.09%. To explain this apparent contradiction between the positive effect of "trade opening" and the negative impact of productive manufacturing specialization, we examined the characteristics of Mexico's industry. Results show that although Mexico's export-led industrialization successfully adapted to the world market and transformed its productive, business, organizational and technological structure, it did not translate into adequate macroeconomic benefits due to the absence of strong value dissemination forces over the rest of the economy. In this sense, poor internal linkages in the maquila industry, its high propensity to import, and its limited value added generation, among other elements, led the Mexican industry to operate as an export enclave. In those circumstances, manufacturing does not generates positive externalities nor articulations, nor strong disseminations that increase and multiplies value in other sectors of industry, thus limiting expansion effects and restraining or even reducing-under some specific circumstances-per capita income growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 1940s, urban Mexico began to shift from fuelwood to petroleum for its household energy needs. I trace this energy transition in Mexico City, interweaving histories of production and consumption, city and hinterland. The household energy transition highlights a series of overlapping policy shifts in 1940s Mexico: a retreat from rural social justice and the support of urban industrialization that pivoted on the redistribution of national oil wealth. By underscoring the role of political power in energy transitions, I also contribute to the larger field of energy history, which has prioritized energy regimes in the North Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is a vital component in the development of societies and industrial progress. The growing demand and environmental degradation from current sources forces us to search for alternative methods of generating it. The use of biogas generated in landfills enables the recovery of the remaining energy in waste and reduces the environmental problems caused by burning coal, oil, and natural gas. Certainty in the generation projections is required for an energy source to be considered useful. The usefulness of biogas power generation depends on accurately estimating the amount of possible biogas generation. Considering this uncertainty, the objectives of this research were to (a) determine the methane generation rate (k) and methane generation potential (L0), and (b) estimate the biogas generation in the final disposal sites (FDS) of two urban communities and two rural communities in Baja California, Mexico. To determine the constants used in biogas models, the following experiments were performed: (a) waste characterisation studies, (b) observations of the characteristics and performance of the FDS, (c) interviews with the managers of the FDS, and (d) IPCC model parameters. Predictions of biogas utility were made using the modified constants in the Mexico LFG Model Version 2.0 proposed by SCS Engineers. The results show that k averaged 0.0429 yr-1 and L0 was 68.69 m³/ton. In the period of 2013-2030, there will be a power generation potential of 760492.8 MW/h (USD $142.21 million). The potential reduction in CO2e emissions would be approximately 5.2 MtCO2e during the same period (USD $57.16 million). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical approaches have suggested that entrepreneurship patterns are linked to economic development, and the direction of this relationship varies depending on the socioeconomic features of a country, the institutional context and the stage of economic development. It is therefore useful to ask the following question. What is the relationship between economic development and the business structure in the Mexican states? The objective of this work is to empirically determine if there is some pattern of business development and entrepreneurial capacity linked to the growth level of the Mexican states. This text establishes that these links do indeed exist. This means that the economic development of the states can partly explain the business structures present in them, invoking interesting public policy arguments for business development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A production function analysis of the 32 Mexican regions reveals almost no technological progress and human capital impact in Mexican industry over a 44 year period. While extensive growth is found prior to 1985, little evidence for extensive or intensive growth except for the labor input is found. Recently developed variables for infrastructure suggest neither transportation nor communications infrastructure is impacting on industrial growth in a significant way. Human capital is not yet important in the open era, but should be included as a separate factor of production in analyzing Mexican industrial growth though the impact is sensitive to how it is defined. Results appear robust to various regional groupings suggesting outlying regions need policies similar to the rest of the country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The resource-infrastructure-environment (RIE) index was proposed as an alternative measure of progress which was then employed to: (1) compare the aggregate (single summary) index findings between Australia (mid-industrialised nation), Mexico (emerging economy), and the US (highly industrialised nation); and (2) compare the RIE index against the gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI) and genuine savings (GS) measure. This paper builds on the previous work by assessing the seven themes and 21 dimensions which comprise the RIE index for the three aforementioned nations, as well as the associated policy implications. The results identified Australia's strength in the human resource and infrastructure themes. For Mexico, strong contributions came from the natural and generated resource themes as well as the physical environment theme, while the US performed strongly in the infrastructure themes. The comparative results of the US and Mexico illustrated that it is possible to achieve high levels of progress without an excessive reliance on high levels of production and income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agriculture played an important role in the industrialization process of Mexico. However, the agricultural policy of State has isolated small scale farmers, giving priority just to large agricultural exporters. This study analyzes the implications that can have fair trade for the Mexican small scale farmers. The fair trade tries to cover the production cost and basic necessities for the small scale farmers, making direct ties between producers and consumers. This type of linkage guarantees the minimum price and the extra social payment to the small scale farmers, grouped in cooperatives o associations. Coffee is one of the most known fair trade product, and Mexico is one of the most important coffer exporters of the world. The fair trade of coffee production where many small farmers work is carried out by cooperative like UCIRI (Unión de Comunidades Indígenas de la Región Istmo). The case study shows that fair trade cannot provide complete answers to the all problems that have small farmers. But, since fair trade tries to promote small farmers well-being and many small farmers could get rid of extreme poverty thanks to fair trade, it might be possible to say that fair trade can be one valuable option for the sustainable development of small farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1950 Mexico entered an economic takeoff and grew rapidly for more than 30 years. Growth stopped during the crises of 1982-1995, despite major reforms, including liberalization of foreign trade and investment. Since then growth has been modest. We analyze the economic history of Mexico 1877-2010. We conclude that the growth 1950-1981 was driven by urbanization, industrialization, and education and that Mexico would have grown even more rapidly if trade and investment had been liberalized sooner. If Mexico is to resume rapid growth-so that it can approach U.S. levels of income-it needs further reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rapid industrial development in regions of Mexico during recent years has had the side effect of introducing toxic metals, fertilizers, and pesticides into the ecosystem. Sediment cores were collected from eight locations around the Julian Adame-Alatorre dam located in the Municipality of Villanueva in the State of Zacatecas, México. The cores were analyzed for 32 major, trace, and rare earth elements (As, La, Lu, Nd, Sm, U, Yb, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Zn, Zr, Al, Ba, Ca, Dy, K, Mn, Na, Ti, and V) in order to estimate the health risk. The samples were analyzed by instrument neutron activation analysis (INAA) using thermal neutron fluxes of 8×1013 and 5×1013 ncm−2 s−1 for short and long irradiations, respectively. The results of the contamination levels for elements such as As, Ba, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ta, V, and Zn were compared with the Mexican regulations and the guidelines of USEPA. Enrichment factors for quantified elements identified high As, Sb, Hf, and Cs contents using Fe as a crustal reference. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article provides literary criticism of the novel "Las batallas en el desierto," by José Emilio Pacheco. It examines the role of the character Carlitos, who represents the modernization of Mexican society during the presidency of Miguel Alemán from 1946-1952. The author analyzes the novel's comparison of Mexican modernization and the excess of the United States during this time period. The impact of Mexican modernization on its cultural traditions and social values is also explored.

Rapid development in the US-Mexico border region, fueled by international commerce and industrialization, places pressure on resources, particularly potable water, and challenges communities providing these resources. In Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, some neighborhoods have intermittent delivery of water through pipes, other areas lack piped water and relied on water delivered by truck. People receiving delivered water often get sick through multiple sources such as contaminated water storage containers, contaminated delivery trucks tanks, and potentially contaminated water loaded into the trucks. Based on the literature, the people in Nogales are not receiving contaminated water supplies but instead perceive a risk of contamination, especially for those living in poorer communities. Little information is available on human health relationships with water quality in this area. We developed a survey to examine quality of life, water consumption, and impacts on human health in two areas of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico; one area with comparatively high socio-environmental conditions (Colonia Lomas de Fàtima) and another area with low socio-environmental conditions (Colonia Luis Donaldo Colosio). Questions describing the household's water source, delivery, personal disinfection practices, and gastrointestinal disease frequency were asked at each participating residence to investigate the relationship between water quality and quality of life. A total of 21 households were recruited for the study (14 in Colosio and 7 in Lomas de Fatima). Respondents identified diarrhea as an issue for 50% of participating households. In fact, 11 people were hospitalized due to diarrhea; more than half from Colosio. The majority of respondents seemed satisfied with their overall quality of life, but they felt helpless in tackling community water issues. People, businesses, industry and society thrive when there is a dependable source of high quality water. Further research and investigation of water quality is needed for links between prevalence and source of diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an examination of the international road race, the Carrera Panamericana, hosted by Mexico's Asociación Nacional Automovilística from 1950 to 1954 along the Pan-American Highway, in an effort to understand how the country used the race as a means of exhibiting the country's modernization. It examines how the country tried to use the race to promote an image of industrial growth, development and a modern Mexico. Additionally, it explores how the country ultimately was unable to quell the counternarratives associated with the race and suffered from accusations that the race utilized public goods for private interest.

Industrial activity in Mexico as a factor in development plays a key role in regional growth. The aim of this paper is to analyze manufacturing in the state of Zacatecas through the 21 Subsectors in NAICS in 1998 and 2003. Coefficients of localization, export and specialization were constructed, revealing high levels of concentration in a few activities as well as a significant trend of regional specialization in a few manufacturing industries. Lastly, decomposing the growth factors with the Shift-share analysis shows that the regional component has contributed most to the growth of manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Because conventional command-and-control environmental regulation often performs poorly in developing countries, policymakers are increasingly experimenting with alternatives, including voluntary regulatory programs. Research in industrialized countries suggests that such programs are sometimes ineffective, because they mainly attract relatively clean participants free-riding on unrelated pollution control investments. We use plant-level data on more than 100,000 facilities to analyze the Clean Industry Program, Mexico’s flagship voluntary regulatory initiative. We seek to identify the drivers of participation and to determine whether the program improves participants’ environmental performance. Using data from the program’s first decade, we find that plants recently fined by environmental regulators were more likely to participate, but that after graduating from the program, participants were not fined at a substantially lower rate than nonparticipants. These results suggest that although the Clean Industry Program attracted dirty plants under pressure from regulators, it did not have a large, lasting impact on their environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xoconostle cv. Cuaresmeño ( Opuntia matudae) has attracted domestic and international industry attention; however, variations of composition from xoconostle structures have not been evaluated. Industries discard the pulp (endocarp) and peel (pericarp) as wastes and utilize the skin (mesocarp), which is the edible portion. The physicochemical, nutritional, and functional characterization of structures from xoconostle pear from 3 major sites of production in Mexico were assessed. Skin yield ranged from 58% to 64% and was higher to that of peel (22% to 24%) and pulp (12% to 18%) yields. pH, °Brix, and acidity were similar among xoconostle structures. Total fiber showed by peel (18.23% to 20.37%) was 2-fold higher than that of skin. Protein and ether extract were higher in xoconostle pulp compared to that showed by peel and skin. Iron content of xoconostle peel (6 to 9.6 mg/100 g, DWB) was higher to that of skin and pulp and prickly pear pulp. Soluble phenols of peel (840 to 863 mg GAE/100 g, DWB) were almost similar to that of skin (919 to 986 mg GAE/100 g, dry weigh basis); meanwhile, ascorbic acid concentration of skin was 2-fold higher compared to that of peel. The phenolic fraction of xoconostle structures consisted of gallic, vanillic, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids; catechin, epicatechin, and vanillin were also identified by high-performance liquid chromatography–didoe array detection (HPLC-DAD). Xoconostle peel showed higher antioxidant activity (TEAC) compared to that of skin (2-fold) and pulp (6-fold) of commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. The potential of xoconostle peel and pulp for the production of feed or food is promissory. Practical Application: Outstanding nutritional and functional properties of xoconostle cv. Cuaresmeño fruits are demonstrated. Increased consumption could contribute positively to improve the diet of rural and urban consumers. The high fiber, mineral, and antioxidant components of xoconostle peel and pulp suggest that these fruit structures, which are currently discarded as waste, have promissory use as feed or food by industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The physicochemical, nutritional, and functional variations of Myrtillocactus geometrizans and Myrtillocactus schenckii, were assessed. Variations of characteristics among species and geographic origin were lower compared to prickly pear. Titratable acidity, and total soluble solids varied by 7.7%, and 11%, respectively. Variations of protein (18.5%) and fibre (5.2%) contents were lower when compared to prickly pear. Iron and copper contents make Myrtillocactus a good source of minerals contributing 16% and 20% of daily requirements. Myrtillocactus also could be an outstanding source of fibre (up to 36.9%). Gallic and caffeic acids, and vanillin were identified by HPLC. Betalains, soluble phenolics, and vitamin C contribute to the high antioxidant activity (TEAC) which, if compared with commonly consumed fruits, was higher. The potential for the production of high-quality industrialised products derived from Myrtillocactus is feasible, as long as compositional variations from batch to batch are kept in check. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

After assessing Sonora's industrialization, this paper explores whether, during the period from 1993 to 2003, its municipalities have tended towards a greater or lesser differentiation in their added manufacturing value, and whether this pattern has been influenced by the criteria for geographical allocation of state investment in infrastructure. It uses this information to review the policies that in theory, should serve as a counterweight to regional disparities. It concludes that, although the rate of municipal convergence in Sonora is relatively high, it has tended to decline. It also confirms the state's limited capacity to use its resources, to influence the regional pattern of manufacturing development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sister cities of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua form one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the world, and provide a unique context in which to examine transnational patterns of environmental injustice. In this paper, we explore residential patterns of environmental injustice related to the location of industrial facilities (ie maquiladoras and facilities regulated by the Toxics Release Inventory) in the El Paso - Juárez metropolis, taking a comparative approach. Our results indicate a striking injustice in the raw level of industrial hazard confronted by residents on the Mexican side of the border compared with those on the US side—a direct result of location within the global economy. In terms of multivariate spatial regression results, patterns of exposure to residential hazards diverged between the two cities. In Mexico, generally marginal neighborhoods (based on low social class and higher proportions of migrants to the city) were located farther away from industry, whereas they were located closer in the US. We explain these findings on the basis of sociospatial differences in urbanization, social marginality, and industrial development between El Paso and Juárez, which reflect the two cities' juxtaposition vis-à-vis global political-economic dynamics. Future research is needed to test relationships between social marginality and industrial hazards in transnational and Southern contexts to determine if similar or divergent patterns exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since Mexico's joining the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1994, it has witnessed rapid industrialization. A byproduct of this industrialization is increasing population exposure to environmental pollutants, of which some have been associated with childhood disease. We therefore identified and assessed the adequacy of existing international and Mexican governance instruments and policy tools to protect children from environmental hazards. Methods: We first systematically reviewed PubMed, the Mexican legal code and the websites of the United Nations, World Health Organization, NAFTA and OECD as of July 2007 to identify the relevant governance instruments, and analyzed the approach these instruments took to preventing childhood diseases of environmental origin. Secondly, we interviewed a purposive sample of high-level government officials, researchers and nongovernmental organization representatives, to identify their opinions and attitudes towards children's environmental health and potential barriers to child-specific protective legislation and implementation. Results: We identified only one policy tool describing specific measures to reduce developmental neurotoxicity and other children's health effects from lead. Other governance instruments mention children's unique vulnerability to ozone, particulate matter and carbon monoxide, but do not provide further details. Most interviewees were aware of Mexican environmental policy tools addressing children's health needs, but agreed that, with few exceptions, environmental policies do not address the specific health needs of children and pregnant women. Interviewees also cited state centralization of power, communication barriers and political resistance as reasons for the absence of a strong regulatory platform. Conclusions: The Mexican government has not sufficiently accounted for children's unique vulnerability to environmental contaminants. If regulation and legislation are not updated and implemented to protect children, increases in preventable exposures to toxic chemicals in the environment may ensue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the implications of industrial upgrading for labor conditions in three electronics maquiladora plants in Tijuana. The evidence shows that, thanks to the momentum of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the growth of in-house capabilities, and the support from their respective parent companies, the three factories upgraded both in terms of products and functions. For their part, skilled employees (engineers and managers) experienced a revalorization, the result of knowledge acquired over long careers in these companies. Consequently, industrial upgrading in the three plants that we analyzed is associated with labor improvements due to the high levels of job stability, which make it possible to implement in-house career plans, high levels of training, and tabor certifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to determine the agronomic and nutritional value of maize varieties and hybrids in Veracruz, México, during the spring-summer cycle of year 2006. Normal and high-protein content hybrids and varieties were validated in Cotaxtla, Mata de Agua, Tlalixcoyan, Ignacio de la Llave, Martínez de la Torre y Rodríguez Clara, in Veracruz, México. A randomized complete block design with two replications was employed, with plots composed of eight 25 m-long rows and a density of 62 500 seeds/ha. The combined analysis of variance showed highly significant differences for Genotypes (G), Locations (L), and for the interaction G × L. The outstanding genotypes for grain yield and other agronomic characteristics were: HQ4, H-520, HQ3 and HQ1, with 5.42, 5.38, 5.13 and 5.06 Mg/ha, respectively, all of which showed good plant and ear appearance. The genotypes with higher nutritional value were the white hybrids HQ1, HQ3 and HQ4 and the yellow corn variety V-556AC . Quality was assessed according to chemical and physical features, nixtamalization, dough and tortilla processing, and tryptophan and lysine content. These genotypes complied with the Mexican specifications for corn destined to nixtamalization. The Q1 produced the best tortillas, and the hybrid HQ4 was considered appropriate for the industry of nixtamal flour process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of world wide urbanization and industrialization, urban air pollution shows a growing trend directly proportional to increasing demands on energy for domestic and industrial activities. From this point of view, cities along with their urban, functional and morphological structure are not being planned with pollution prevention or minimum environmental impacts in mind. This work has two purposes: first, it proposes an assessment of air quality in Mexicali by analyzing O3, CO, SO2, NO2 and PM10 emissions in relation to urban structure; and second, the assessment of already implemented urban strategies aimed at minimizing environmental impacts. This work also presents a scheme that incorporates air quality issues into town planning and urban management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Verlager was a key entrepreneur in protoindustrial societies; arising from its business the historians have built an analytical framework called Verlagssystem . A literature review allows us to highlight the main features of Verlager entrepreneurs and to know the obstacles that they faced during the protoindustrial phase. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to place the role of Verlagssystem in protoindustrial discussion, to analyze business initiatives under this context, to expose the participation of Verlager as organizer of the manufacture activities, to emphasize building relationships between this actor and the peasants-artisans, to describe Verlager's intervention in the artisanal sphere, to refer to Kaufssystem as a previous stage of Verlagssystem , to reflex on the organization of production throughout space under the interference of Verlager and to study how Verlagssystem took a deeper dynamic when the goods went to supra-regional markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I analyze how the association between Mexico¿U.S. migration and marriage varies across socioeconomic settings in origins. Using Mexican Migration Project data and employing bilevel survival analysis with controls for socioeconomic, migrant network, and marriage market characteristics and family size, I find that single people are most likely to migrate relative to those married in areas of recent industrialization, where the Mexican patriarchal system is weaker and economic opportunities for both men and women make post-marital migration less attractive. Marital status is not significant in agriculture-dependent areas, where the bargaining power of husbands might be higher relative to other settings; their age-profiles of earnings flatter; and remunerated female work scarcer, making migration attractive later in the life course. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Short-lived radionuclides (210Pb and 137Cs) were used to document sedimentation regime changes over the last ∼100 years, from analysis of a single sedimentary sequence collected in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, South Pacific of Mexico. Sedimentation rates found in the core Tehua II-21 varied from 0.03 to 0.21cmyr−1, whereas mass accumulation rates ranged from 0.05 to 0.29gcm−2 yr−1. 137Cs data validate results obtained from 210Pb measurements and confirm significant changes in the sedimentation regime between 1950 and 1970. We associate these alterations to land use changes, including deforestation for agriculture development and industrialization, as well as the regimentation of the Tehuantepec River from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. This interval has been marked by a major demographic expansion that followed the industrial development of the area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Like the rest of the poor periphery, Mexico fought with de-industrialization in the century before the 1870s. Yet, Mexican manufacturing defended itself better than did the rest of the poor periphery. Why Mexican exceptionalism? This article decomposes the sources of de-industrialization into productivity events abroad, globalization forces connecting Mexico to those markets, and domestic forces. It uses a neo-Ricardian model to implement the decomposition, advocates a price dual approach, and develops a new price and wage data base. Mexican exceptionalism was due to weaker Dutch disease effects, better wage competitiveness, and the policy autonomy to foster industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the pending assignments of Sonora's economy, is to reach an industrialization stage from the use of its raw materials, its own institutional efforts and its working and entrepreneurial classes, that is, from its endogenous potentialities. This paper describes and discusses the historical itinerary of the industrialization process of Sonora, based on the study of the different strategies undertaken by the governments, especially those from 1961 to 1967. This period is considered as the main institutional effort of internal bases to guide Sonora towards an industrial alternative, which even though its goodnesses, has succumbed before the legitimization of the 'maquiladora' project. It is argued that the governmental initiatives have been restricted by the existence of an entrepreneurial class, with little or none industrial vision. In this sense, the intention of giving to the state an industrial identity is into the hands of foreign capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore changes to Mondova's and Ciudad Acuña's economic structures since the mid-80's and to trace how imports substituting industrialization (ISI) and open economy models were adapted locally during recent Mexican economic history. Implementation of the ISI model was quite different in the two cities. Monclova flourished due to the government-owned steal foundry Altos Hornos de México, S. A. (AHMSA). In contrast, Ciudad Acuña, did not figure as an important economic center. However, according to data from the economic and population censuses, as well as from statistics of the maquiladora industry, economic opening wrought dramatic change to local economic structures. Ciudad Acuña has become leader of maquiladora industry statewide while in Mondova manufacturing's share in the economic structure decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is not only one understanding of the concept of progress. Nevertheless, it has been (ab)used to justify first colonial subjugation and then postcolonial practices. The use of this concept in international relations allows for the asymmetric relation between the USA and Mexico to perpetuate, by means of the NAFTA and of the multinational companies that have gained access to foreign markets through the same agreement. The prevailing Western notion of progress implies the exercise of the neoliberalism and consequently, consumerism. The best example of this post colonialist behavior is Wal-Mart's invasion of Mexico. Its slogan 'always low prices' would mislead you into believing that its arrival means progress, whereas its low salaries and its stifling practices prevent the country from achieving a self-stimulated growth. The majority of the profit goes on an only-one-way route towards the United States, maintaining the asymmetry among the neighboring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the main characteristics of natural order associated to touristic practices that subsist in the San Luis Potosí territory, located at the meridian limit of the ancient Aridoamérica and occupies a central portion of the United States of Mexico. This federative entity differs from the national context by its demographic growth and important industrial development, condition that is more relevant in the State headquarter. However, in spite of its varied and abundant natural attributes that include desert zones, steppes, tropical perennial forest and other vegetation associations of transcendental importance that complement the natural attractions, good for economic activities. Even in the xxi century the touristic activity in San Luis Potosí has had a marginal dynamics out of the state planning policies, which shows that the natural conditions have not been, by themselves, a significative sparkling to push its growth. The proposed results of this research are part of the project «Natural and socioeconomic potential for ecotourism development in the State San Luis Potosí, México», financed by a concurrent fund of the National Council of Science and Technology and the government of the State of San Luis Potosí. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on trends in the adult heights of various sectors of Mexican society between 1850 and 1950 as a proxy for their biological and material standards of living. The evolution of biological standards of living is an alternative way to assess whether or not economic development after 1850 was beneficial to the population, using a proxy that relies on a basic natural characteristic, adult height. The recruitment records of the Mexican rural and federal militia provide us with information on the secular trends of heights of the Mexican labouring classes, while a database of passport applications allows us to compare the evolution of living standards across social classes. It is argued that the benefits of industrialisation and improved economic performance fostered by the Diaz regime (i 876-1910) did not have a favourable impact on the biological wellbeing of the labouring population. There are, however, signs of improvement in living standards with the launching of welfare programmes at the end of the Cárdenas administration. In contrast, the average height of the elites increased throughout the period, suggesting that there was a growing disparity in the evolution of living standards between social classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social movements in Mexico from the 17th to 21st century can be explained mostly by changes in incentives related to the desire for growth and economic development, ruled first by liberal precepts, and, during the industrialization phase, by the social democratic precepts. The main interest lies in understanding how each movement can be inscribed within both world views, contributing to articulate the transition from an economic industrialization based on craft work to a modernist scheme based on machinery. The main contribution of this work lies in illustrating how this transition frames the changes in public regulation ethos, which matches, at a global scale, the dynamic between industrial capitalism and monopolistic capitalism. [TRANSLATION]

The article discusses the history of the Northern region of Mexico and its ties with the United States. It notes the initial commercial development of the region as part of a border economy, explores the industrialization of the city of Monterrey and its role in Mexican commerce and politics, and considers the significance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for the region and for Mexico. The author also reflects on the integration of the northern region with the rest of Mexico.

The present work is an account of the results of a study that was carried out in order to know the principal components of the collaboration between the Mexican productive sector and the Technological Centers of Research and Development of the Conacyt System (CTID-SC). Its objective is to contribute towards the construction of a theory which can explain those factors that determine linkage between the aforesaid centers, and firms in the industrial sector. The accumulated empirical evidence shows that those using the centers tend to benefit in four different ways from the linkage: 1) excellence; 2) professionalism; 3) cooperative behaviour; 4) competitivity. It was concluded that a technological policy--when it attempts to promote linkage between CTID-SC and the Industrial sector- should take into account the effect of the different business's technological capacties in relation to the effectivity of the services provided by the Centers at the moment of establishing their organizational missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last twenty years, Brazil and Mexico have carried out a productive and commercial restructuring, due to a large extent to changes in economic policy orientation, as also to the changes in their approach to the global market. The opening up of their internal markets, without counterbalances, was considered by many as the best way of improving productive capacities and internal competitivity. The way in which theses two countries have carried out their insertion into the international commercial circuits, as also their particular economic specialization, shows distinct characteristics; however, liberalization has not resulted in the "promised land" for either. This article offers certain evidence -even if of a general sort- of the limited effects of this process as far as stimulating the upgrading of the industrial trajectory in both nations is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the divergent political responses to unplanned exposure to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the Global South. Although scientific and domestic political considerations have some relevance to explaining different positions among developing countries, trade considerations appear to be a principal driver of GMO policy. This consideration is strikingly clear when we compare the different responses to unplanned GMO imports in Mexico/Central America with that in Africa. When trade and environment interests converge, as was the case in Africa, the strong policy stance, in this case against the import of GMOs, was clear and swift. In the cases of Mexico and Central America, the trade and environment interests did not overlap, and this has resulted in a weak government response and incremental policy shifts, in this case toward a pro-GMO stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]