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Sport commitment describes a psychological attachment to a sport that influences one's desire or resolve to continue involvement in it. Studying antecedents believed to influence long term commitment to sport among athletes with a disability will help ensure that participants gain those psychosocial and health outcomes from sport participation that benefit quality of life. Our purposes in this study were: (i) to examine the Sport Commitment Model (SCM) in terms of the magnitude of the contribution of antecedent factors (i.e., enjoyment, personal investment, involvement opportunities, social constraints, involvement alternatives) to sport commitment of athletes with disabilities; and (ii) to examine the model structure (i.e., original SCM, mediation, and direct/indirect model) that best reflects an understanding of the sport commitment antecedents for these athletes. A total of 157 adult athletes (M age = 34.87, SD = 11.78) with physical disabilities from both team and individual sports across the United States, Europe, and Asia completed the Sport Commitment Questionnaire. Data analyses indicated that sport involvement opportunities, followed by personal investment, were the strongest predictors of these athletes' sport commitments (R2 =.66). Based on the principle of parsimony, the original structural equation model (χ2 (215) = 384.95; RMSEA =.07; CFI =.95; SRMR =.06) was deemed better for understanding the mechanism of sport commitment than the mediation or direct/indirect models. We address implications of applying the SCM to athletes with disabilities, and we offer suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building and other construction assets constitute a significant part of a country's physical and economic infrastructure. According to several writers, the knowledge of reliable data of building and other construction assets of a specific country or region is a crucial element for the long-term management of these assets. Built capital stock statistics at the national or international levels have been available for most countries of the world, both developed and less developed ones, for some time, but construction infrastructure stock statistics at the disaggregated level are very scarce, even for most developed countries. Furthermore, the methodologies to produce the estimates of built capital stock, at the international level, do not consider countries' specificities. This paper discusses the methodologic issues for producing construction infrastructure stock statistics for Cape Verde, and makes estimates for the period 1980-2019. The paper outlines the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM) used to produce capital estimation, data employed, and the assumptions made to estimate missing data. The paper analyses the level of the construction infrastructure stock estimates for Cape Verde, as well as their impact on the development pattern of the country's construction industry, and suggests how further studies can enhance our comprehension of the relationship between construction investment and economic growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Return on investment (ROI) has become part of the policymaking toolkit, particularly pertinent for activities like school-based career guidance deemed optional by some policymakers. There are institutions supporting ideal ROI methods alongside an academic critique, but little research on how ROI has been applied in practice in a guidance setting. In this systematic review, we document 32 ROI studies across nine countries that address either school-based guidance or one of three congruent fields: widening participation in education, behaviour in schools and adult career guidance. We find the corpus highly heterogenous in methods and quality, leading to problems in comparability. We argue for a pragmatic approach to improving consistency and the importance of policymakers' capacity for critically reading ROI studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to analyse the state and the dynamics of developmental and other aspects of investments in research and development (R&D) in the group of countries in Southeast Europe. The analysis is performed for several countries in Southeast Europe together and by individual countries. The period from 1996 to 2020 is observed in the analysis. In most countries of Southeast Europe, the allocation for R&D is relatively small. Applied research is the most represented. Significant differences can be noticed regarding the sources of financing and to the implementation of allocations for R&D. A particularly important part of this work is devoted to the analysis of the impact of the gross expenditures on R&D on economic growth. This analysis was performed on the basis of regression analysis. Several regression models were formed in which the dependent variable was gross domestic product per capita It can be concluded that the parameters of the financial condition of the observed economy have the greatest influence on the economic growth of the observed group of countries. Allocations for research and development still do not have a significant enough impact on economic growth in observed countries in Southeast Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent National Academies report recommended that health systems invest in new infrastructure to integrate social and medical care. Although many health systems routinely screen patients for social concerns, few health systems achieve the recommended model of integration. In this critical case study in an urban safety net health system, we describe the human capital, operational redesign, and financial investment needed to implement the National Academy recommendations. Using data from this case study, we estimate that other health systems seeking to build and maintain this infrastructure would need to invest $1 million to $3 million per year. While health systems with robust existing resources may be able to bootstrap short-term funding to initiate this work, we conclude that long-term investments by insurers and other payers will be necessary for most health systems to achieve the recommended integration of medical and social care. Researchers seeking to test whether integrating social and medical care leads to better patient and population outcomes require access to health systems and communities who have already invested in this model infrastructure. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(6):619–625. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307602) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does government influence over state-owned enterprises affect the latter investment decisions? We argue that governments use their influence over the SOEs to build or strengthen a political coalition that supports the governments’ agenda. We use a sample of 96,379 observations from publicly listed firms and SOEs from 41 countries and argue that the greater the potential conflict between principal-principal, the greater the investments by SOEs. Government influence over SOEs can lead to inefficient decisions, favoring investments in politically disputed regions over economically attractive ones. Our findings have theoretical implications for the literature on minority shareholders’ rights and government policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding provides physical, psychological, and immunological benefits to both the mother and infant, but breastfeeding rates are suboptimal. The purpose of this study was to examine whether residing in a maternity care desert (a county with no hospital offering obstetric care and no OB/GYN or certified nurse midwife providers) was associated with lower breastfeeding rates among birthing people in Louisiana from 2019 to 2020. Data provided by the March of Dimes were used to classify Louisiana parishes by level of access to maternity care. Using data on all live births provided by the Louisiana Office of Vital Records (n = 112,151), we fit adjusted modified Poisson regression models with generalized estimating equations and exploratory geospatial analysis to examine the association between place of residence and breastfeeding initiation and racial disparities in initiation. We conducted a secondary within-group analysis by fitting the fully adjusted model stratified by race/ethnicity for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic Black birthing people. We found that residing in a parish with limited (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.77, 0.99]) to no access (OR = 0.88; 95% CI [0.80, 0.97]) was significantly associated with lower breastfeeding initiation rates. The within-group analysis determined that both non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white birthing people residing in a parish with limited or no maternity care access had lower breastfeeding initiation rates. Reducing rural and racial inequities in breastfeeding may require structural changes and investments in infrastructure to deliver pregnancy care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the potential impact of the increased investment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Canada. With a multi-billion-dollar investment committed to making high-quality care accessible, affordable, flexible, and inclusive for all Canadians, this initiative is set to reshape the landscape of child care in Canada. Although increased access to ECEC is important, it is not sufficient on its own. Quality must be the cornerstone, with particular attention given to the needs of low-income families. Strategic incentives for providers and financial support for educators are practical steps that can significantly elevate the effectiveness and reach of ECEC services. The goal is not just more ECEC but better ECEC for all. The article draws on a range of research studies and policy documents to explore the potential benefits and challenges of this ambitious project and to offer recommendations for how stakeholders can work together to ensure its success. Note from the editors: The first volume of Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de politiques was published in 1975, making this the 50th volume. To commemorate, we have organized a series of lectures which are published in this special issue. Professor Dhuey gave this lecture at the meetings of the Canadian Economics Association in Winnipeg in June 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-makers need to rethink the connections between the economy and health. The World Health Organization Council on the Economics of Health for All has called for human and planetary health and well-being to be moved to the core of decision-making to build economies for health. Doing so involves valuing and measuring what matters, more and better health financing, innovation for the common good and rebuilding public sector capacity. We build on this thinking to argue that breastfeeding should be recognized in food and well-being statistics, while investments in breastfeeding should be considered a carbon offset in global financing arrangements for sustainable food, health and economic systems. Breastfeeding women nourish half the world's infants and young children with immense quantities of a highly valuable milk. This care work is not counted in gross domestic product or national food balance sheets, and yet ever-increasing commercial milk formula sales are counted. Achieving global nutrition targets for breastfeeding would realize far greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions than decarbonizing commercial milk formula manufacturing. New metrics and financing mechanisms are needed to achieve the health, sustainability and equity gains from more optimal infant and young child feeding. Properly valuing crucial care and environmental resources in global and national measurement systems would redirect international financial resources away from expanding carbon-emitting activities, and towards what really matters, that is, health for all. Doing so should start with considering breastfeeding as the highest quality, local, sustainable first-food system for generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Ukraine's economic potential amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, highlighting the investment opportunities it presents for reconstruction and recovery, with support from international aid and private sector investments. It also examines the staggering reconstruction needs, spanning infrastructure, housing, manufacturing, and agriculture, emphasizing the country's strategic importance and its aim to rebuild a resilient and sustainable economy.

Financial wellbeing in retirement is contingent on realizations of financial expectations developed earlier in life and may differ substantially by gender. People's standard of living in retirement is tied to stability in work and income trajectories during working years along with retirement benefits and savings. Women have a greater overall income disadvantage relative to men, including reduced life course labor force exposure that may restrict retirement savings and benefits. Using the Canadian Longitudinal and International Study of Adults (LISA) and 20 years of linked tax record data (N = 2,353), we explore the association between instability in work and income histories and lower perceived retirement standard of living (PRSOL), net of retirement benefits, for women and men in Canada. Results show that for women, life course effects shaping PRSOL are driven by cumulative disability exposure and bouts of social assistance. For men, PRSOL is influenced more by cumulative unemployment. Although retirement benefits do not offset histories of work and income instability for either gender, income assistance is protective for women in retirement while personal investments are protective for men. Overall, our findings suggest that despite Canada's relatively generous pension program in later life, life course instability in work and income have persisting, gendered effects on financial wellbeing in retirement that underscore financial and health disadvantage for women across the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ethics and transformative potential of youth participatory action research (yPAR) using data from a 2‐year school‐based yPAR study at an elite, independent school in Toronto, Canada. I use discourse analysis to show how school‐based yPAR with racialized girls intensified their experiences of gendered racism, shaping the research in a circular fashion. I demonstrate how youth researchers' strategies for counteracting this intensification contradicted the project's critical race feminist investments. This study concludes that yPAR facilitators must address the potential/actual harm of youth researchers' involvement in yPAR as part of the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To define nurse‐led clinics in primary health care, identify barriers and enablers that influence their successful implementation, and understand what impact they have on patient and population health outcomes. Background: Nurse‐led clinics definitions remain inconsistent. There is limited understanding regarding what enablers and barriers impact successful nurse‐led clinic implementation and their impact on patient health care. Design: Scoping review using narrative synthesis. Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched to identify nurse‐led clinic definitions and models of care between 2000 and 2023. Screening and selection of studies were based on eligibility criteria and methodological quality assessment. Narrative synthesis enabled to communicate the phenomena of interest and follows the PRISMA for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) checklist. Results: Among the 36 identified studies, key principles of what constitutes nurse‐led clinics were articulated providing a robust definition. Nurse‐led clinics are, in most cases, commensurate with standard care, however, they provide more time with patients leading to greater satisfaction. Enablers highlight nurse‐led clinic success is achieved through champions, partners, systems, and clear processes, while barriers encompass key risk points and sustainability considerations. Conclusion: The review highlights several fundamental elements are central to nurse‐led clinic success and are highly recommended when developing interventional nurse‐led strategies. Nurse‐led clinics within primary health care seek to address health care through community driven, health professional and policy supported strategies. Overall, a robust and contemporary definition of nurse‐led care and the clinics in which they operate is provided. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The comprehensive definition, clear mediators of success and the health impact of nurse‐led clinics provide a clear framework to effectively build greater capacity among nursing services within primary health care. This, in addition, highlights the need for good health care policy to ensure sustainability. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past five years, the education technology (EdTech) sector has gained increasing prominence, characterized by significant growth in investments, transactions, and overall revenues. PT Dibimbing (Dibimbing.id), an EdTech company, experienced a decline in revenue largely attributed to elevated customer acquisition costs (CAC). This research aims to analyze the challenges faced by Dibimbing.id and form an innovative and profitable business model for Dibimbing.id. This study uses qualitative research by applying Richardson's framework theory (Value Oriented Framework). This research was obtained through in-depth interviews and Forum Group Discussions (FGDs). The FGD involved teams in Dibimbing.id, including marketing and sales, development, operations, human resources, finance, and technology teams. The results showed that the existing business model faces problems such as variable learning speed, highly complex learning syllabus, hiring difficulties to find advanced talents, bootcamp business model that does not contribute to profit growth, students' concerns with limited job prospects, and financial constraints. Therefore, four solutions were revealed in this research for a new business model, namely self-paced learning, leveling course, job guarantee program, and Study Now Pay Later (SNPL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To quantify the association between reduction in child mortality and routine immunization across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Methods We used child mortality and vaccine coverage data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. We used a modified child survival framework and applied a mixed-effects regression model to estimate the reduction in deaths in children younger than 5 years associated with eight vaccines. Findings Between 1990 and 2019, the diphtheria--tetanus--pertussis (DTP), measles, rotavirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines were significantly associated with an estimated 86.9 (95% confidence interval, CI: 57.2 to 132.4) million fewer deaths in children younger than 5 years worldwide. This decrease represented a 24.2% (95% CI: 19.8 to 28.9) reduction in deaths relative to a scenario without vaccines. The DTP and measles vaccines averted 46.7 (95% CI: 30.0 to 72.7) million and 37.9 (95% CI: 25.4 to 56.8) million deaths, respectively. Of the total reduction in child mortality associated with vaccines, 84.2% (95% CI: 83.0 to 85.1) occurred in 73 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, with an estimated 45.4 (95% CI: 29.8 to 69.2) million fewer deaths from 2000 to 2019. The largest reductions in deaths associated with these four vaccines were in India, China, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Bangladesh (in order of the size of reduction). Conclusion Vaccines continue to reduce childhood mortality significantly, especially in Gavi-supported countries, emphasizing the need for increased investment in routine immunization programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Access to local banking represents an understudied dimension of neighborhood-based inequalities that could significantly influence older adults' perceptions of their neighborhood spaces in ways that matter for disparities in well-being. We evaluate disparities in banking access and then examine how local banking access informs older adults' perceptions of neighborhood collective efficacy and danger, above and beyond other neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Methods We use nationally representative data from older adults in the United States who were interviewed at Round 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, linked with data on banks in respondents' residential and surrounding census tracts from the National Establishment Time-Series database, in a series of bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. Results White older adults and those with higher levels of education have significantly greater local banking access than Black and Hispanic older adults and those with lower levels of education. Higher rates of local banking institutions are associated with significantly lower perceptions of neighborhood danger, but not with perceived collective efficacy. This finding emerges when accounting for neighborhood concentrated disadvantage and physical disorder. Discussion Local banks may represent neighborhood investment and the broader economic vitality of a community, as well as the ability of communities to meet older adults' everyday needs in ways that enhance older residents' feelings of safety. Increasing access to local financial institutions may help attenuate neighborhood-based contributors to inequalities in health and well-being among the older adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-boycott laws are more popular and pervasive today than ever before. More than half of U.S. states have "anti-BDS laws" that prohibit recipients of public contracts and state investment from boycotting the State of Israel. And almost as many have proposed or passed "anti-ESG" rules that restrict boycotts of fossil fuels, firearms, and other contested industries in similar ways. These controversial rules have triggered a fierce debate--and nationwide litigation--over whether the First Amendment includes a "right to boycott." This Article is the first to take up the question from a historical standpoint. Examining the boycott's constitutional status from before the Founding to the present era, we find that state actors have consistently treated the boycott as economic conduct subject to governmental control, and not as expression presumptively immune from state interference. Before the Founding, the colonists mandated a strict boycott of Britain, which local governmental bodies enforced through trial proceedings and economic punishments. At common law, courts used the doctrine of conspiracy to enjoin "unjustified" boycotts and hold liable their perpetrators. And in the modern era, state and federal officials have consistently compelled participation in the boycotts they approved, while prohibiting participation in the ones they opposed. The Article concludes that modern anti-boycott laws not only fit within, but improve upon, this constitutional tradition. As the Supreme Court's 1982 decision in NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware illustrates, the common-law approach risks violating the First Amendment if applied to restrict not only the act of boycotting or refusing to deal, but also the expressive activities that accompany such politically motivated refusals. Modern anti-boycott laws minimize that problem by surgically targeting the act of boycotting while leaving regulated entities free to say whatever they please. Hence, from the standpoint of history, these laws reflect First Amendment progress, not decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers are liable to 'treasure what is measured' and overlook phenomena that are not. In an era of increased reliance on administrative data, existing policies also often determine what is measured in the first place. We explore this two-way interaction between measurement and policy in the context of the investment incomes and capital gains that are missing from the UK's official income statistics. We show that these 'missing incomes' change the established picture of economic inequality over the past decade, revealing rising top income shares during the period of austerity. The underestimation of these forms of income in official statistics has hidden the impact of tax policies that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest. We urge a renewed focus on how policy affects and is affected by measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides understanding of the effect of carried interest provisions on fairness and equality in the taxation of hedge fund profits. Topics discussed include foundational principles of the U.S. tax system, beneficiaries of the carried interest tax provisions, public and congressional response to the tax treatment of carried interest, taxation of carried interest as ordinary income and limitation of carried interest earned on domestic investments if it is taxed at capital gains rate.

We are constantly bombarded with cautions warning us of dangers to our health or wellbeing. Sometimes, however, cautions increase the danger. This Article addresses one example: cautions warning investors of the risks that predictions regarding corporate performance will not pan out. Here, the danger is investors falling prey to trumped up predictions of corporate performance, the result of which is to misallocate resources, increase the cost of capital for honest businesses, and create a drag on the overall economy. This Article shows how the typical cautions accompanying predictions of corporate performance facilitate rather than avoid this danger by misdirecting both investors and courts from looking at what they should: the credibility of the speaker in giving the prediction. To solve this problem, this Article introduces a radically different approach to determining the legal impact of cautions accompanying predictions of corporate performance. This is to distinguish between cautions alerting investors to problems with the speaker's credibility in giving the prediction ("credibility cautions") versus those that simply list various risks that might lead the prediction to not pan out ("contingency cautions "). Only the former should provide a defense to claims of securities fraud based upon a failed prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergency airway management in resource-limited settings presents multifaceted challenges due to shortages in essential medical resources, healthcare professionals, and infrastructure. Methods: We conducted a literature search using keywords "Emergency Airway Management" "Low Resource" "Africa" "Asia" from databases such as Pubmed, and Google Scholar, from where we extracted relevant literature for our study. Findings: These limitations resulted in delayed interventions, suboptimal care, and higher complication rates during intubation procedures. However, innovative solutions have emerged to address these challenges, including cost-effective airway management devices and training programs tailored for non-medical personnel. Capacity building and local empowerment are critical components of improving emergency airway management in these settings. Additionally, advocating for policy support and investment in healthcare infrastructure is essential to ensure access to essential equipment and adequate staffing. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing networks among healthcare professionals and organisations are pivotal in disseminating best practices and advancing healthcare delivery in resource-limited regions. Conclusion: Future efforts should focus on tailored training programs, rigorous research, innovative device development, telemedicine solutions, sustainable capacity building, and advocacy to enhance emergency airway management in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private equity has rapidly enlarged its presence in the health care sector, expanding its investment targets from hospitals and nursing facilities to physician practices. The incursion of private equity is the latest manifestation of a long trend toward the corporatization and financialization of medicine. Private equity pools investments from large private investors to buy controlling stakes in companies through leveraged buyouts or similar arrangements that use the companies' own assets to finance debt. These investors seek to earn handsome profits by rapidly increasing revenues before selling off the investment. Private equity's incursion into health care is especially concerning. The drive for quick revenue generation threatens to increase costs, lower health care quality, and contribute to physician burnout and moral distress. These harms stem from market consolidation, overutilization and upcoding, constraints on physicians' clinical autonomy, and compromises in patient care. Policymakers attempting to counter these threats can barely keep up. Like a cloud of locusts, private equity moves so quickly that by the time lawmakers become aware of the problem and researchers study the effects, private equity has moved on to other investment targets. While it remains unclear whether private equity investment is fundamentally more threatening to health policy than other forms of acquisition and financial investment--whether by publicly traded companies, conglomerate health systems, or health insurers-private equity presents a heightened threat of commercialization. Even if private equity is not uniquely harmful, it is extremely adept at identifying and exploiting market failures and payment loopholes. The emphasis on short-term returns and exit, the heavy reliance on debt, and the insulation from professional and ethical norms make private equity investors more avid to exploit revenue opportunities than institutional repeat players. Thus, this Article’s central claim is that the influx of private equity into health care poses sufficient risks to warrant an immediate legal and policy response. Public policy should primarily target market failures and payment loopholes and only secondarily curb private equity investment per se. The good news is that we already have many tools under federal and state law with the potential to address the harms of commercialization. These can be used or sharpened to address the particular concerns raised by private equity’s incursion into physician markets. Key tools include antitrust oversight, fraud and abuse enforcement, and state laws regulating the corporate practice of medicine and the terms of physician employment. In some instances, legislative or regulatory action may be needed to adapt existing laws. In other instances, new laws may be needed to close payment loopholes or correct market distortions. A leading example is the recent No Surprises Act, which curtails surprise outof- network medical billing. While the Article lays out a roadmap for additional legal and policy actions to protect the health system from the acute risks of private equity, these are patches rather than systemic solutions. If these patches fail to stave off the incessant march toward commercialization of health care, we may see renewed calls to fundamentally rethink the market orientation of the U.S. health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background In recent years, there has been a notable resurgence of medium-scale commercial farms in Africa. However, scholarly focus on their capacity to drive structural transformation, promote inclusivity, empower communities, generate wealth, and enhance livelihoods has been limited. Specifically examining the Zimbabwean context, this article contends that medium-scale farms play pivotal roles in production, social reproduction, income generation, commercialisation, investment and capital accumulation. These contributions have been significant in facilitating structural transformation, wealth generation, and improved livelihoods. Goal and Objectives: The paper is primarily concerned with exploring the extent to which mediumscale commercial agriculture contributes to structural transformation, wealth creation and enhanced livelihoods in the Zimbabwean and wider African context. Methodology: The paper utilized a mixed methods research approach comprising of a survey and in-depth interviews which targeted 200 resettled households in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Results: Medium-scale farms possess the ability to play a role in structural transformation, wealth generation, and improved livelihoods. Factors such as land access, a supportive macroeconomic and policy environment, robust and inclusive land governance, and efficient administrative institutions hold promise in addressing and mitigating the challenges related to poverty, disenfranchisement, marginalization, and inequalities in power and resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governance matters. The governance of our business and political institutions impacts all aspects of our lives. Our education, relationships, wealth, safety, dignity, health, and happiness are all affected by business and political governance decisions. Increasingly, corporate governance and political governance are evolving and intersecting, as corporations engage in some of the most contentious and important social challenges of our time with their voice, capital, and actions. This Article provides one of the first comprehensive examinations of this new convergence of corporate and political governance and its wide-ranging effects on law, politics, business, and society. It begins by contextualizing the changing corporate political governance landscape. It investigates how new corporate social activism, the growth in ESG investments, the reemergence of retail investors, and a changing political calculus for businesses have all fostered this evolving landscape. Next, it discusses practical and legal fault lines in this landscape. In particular, it highlights how these tensions complicate larger debates about shareholders and stakeholders, meanings and metrics in management, as well as the limitations of private and public power. Finally, moving from causes and complications to consequences and correctives, this Article identifies implications of the new corporate political governance dynamic and recommends pragmatic next steps for scholars, executives, and policymakers. Specifically, it proposes a new corporate overstory for analyzing corporate sociopolitical engagements, offers new guiding principles to help firms focus their social efforts, and recommends workable models for policymakers engaging in business regulation and investment management. Ultimately, this Article aims to serve as an original, early roadmap and working compass for understanding and navigating the changing corporate political governance landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of a quartet of Supreme Court decisions which disrupted decades of settled law, the doctrine of patentable subject matter is in turmoil. Scholars, commentators, and jurists continue to disagree sharply over which kinds of invention should be patentable. In this debate, no technology has been more controversial than software. Advocates of software patents contend that denying protection would stymie innovation in a vital industry; skeptics argue that patents are a poor fit for software, and that the social costs of patents outweigh any plausible benefits. At the core of this disagreement is a basic problem: the debate is predicated on various claims about how and whether patents incentivize innovation, but like much of patent law, these claims rest on meager empirical foundations. This Article bolsters these foundations by testing one important claim: that patents serve to attract investment in new inventions. Using a novel quasi-experimental approach and an original dataset, I investigate whether the grant of a patent makes a business-methods software startup more likely to attract early-stage venture capital investment. In contrast to prior scholarship, I find no evidence that patents play a role in channeling investment to these startups, nor that they lead to more successful downstream outcomes such as acquisitions and initial public offerings. These findings have important implications for both patent policy and scholarship. First, this Article provides new evidence on the perennial controversy over whether business-methods software should be patenteligible. As Congress continues to contemplate new legislation to clarify the law of patentable subject matter, the results call into question a leading justification for granting patents in this area. Second, in light of previous scholarship which finds a relationship between patents and investment in other areas of technology, I demonstrate the importance of developing industry-specific evidence on the role that patents play in stimulating innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate the implications of funding strategies employed by PT Jasa Marga and its subsidiary PT Jasamarga Transjawa Tol on their financial performance. With the Indonesian government's increased investment in toll road infrastructure, Jasa Marga, a State-Owned Enterprise, has undertaken expansive endeavors, augmenting investments from IDR 24.8 trillion in 2018 to IDR 78.6 trillion by 2022. However, this escalation in investment levels also brings forth heightened liabilities, predominantly stemming from reliance on debt, particularly bank loans, in addition to equity. Such a scenario presents challenges in managing payment obligations and, if not handled adeptly, could imperil Jasa Marga's financial performance. Consequently, strategies aimed at bolstering the company's capital structure are slated for implementation in 2023. This exploration aims to assess how these financial strategies and the debt-equity balance influence company value and financial health, drawing on frameworks like the Pecking Order Theory. It seeks to comprehend the ramifications of internal and external financing on the company's solvency, as measured by ratios such as Debt Equity Ratio (DER), Debt Ratio, and Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR). The literature review delves into various financial strategies such as crowdfunding and Initial Public Offering (IPO), elucidating their motivations and repercussions on companies, with a specific focus on aspects like information asymmetry and changes in post-IPO performance. This research integrates theories, practical strategies, and financial metrics to derive meaningful, data-driven conclusions aimed at optimizing capital structure and enhancing financial stability. It offers valuable insights to stakeholders and facilitates improved financial decision-making processes within the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyze the factors that affect stock returns in food and beverages companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the 2017-2020 period. The variables in this study are Economic Value Added (EVA) and Market Value Added (MVA). This research was conducted using multiple linear regression analysis. The data collection tools used are literature study and documentation with purposive sampling method. The sample used in this study were 12 companies from a total population of 30 companies. The results of this study indicate that the higher or lower the value of Economic Value Added (EVA) does not affect the value of Stock Return, as well as the higher or lower value of the Market Value Added (MVA) also does not affect the Stock Return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the uncertain future of tourism in the beaches of North Carolina as of 2024. Topics covered include the erosion of the state's Outer Banks due to storm surges in which structural collapses impact investments and mandate environmentally dangerous cleanups, and the history of the migrating barrier islands and their patterns of development. Also noted is the need to address the multi-faceted existential threats to the Outer Banks.

A separate Alberta Pension Plan (APP) has recently gained renewed attention. In this paper, I assess the long-run viability of such a plan by using both a detailed quantitative model and simple, intuitive approaches. I find only modest scope for changes in benefit levels and contribution rates relative to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Specifically, I estimate an APP minimum contribution rate of 8.2 percent, compared to the base CPP's 9.5 percent. With the same 0.4 percentage point cushion as in the CPP, the APP legislated contribution rate would then be 8.6 percent. This figure is in sharp contrast to a recent government-commissioned report (LifeWorks 2023), which found a contribution rate of 5.9 percent. I explain this disparity and show that much depends on how one interprets imprecise language in the Canada Pension Plan Act. I also explore several relevant risks. Alberta's positive net migration flows, for example, account for nearly two-thirds of its pension advantage. And, depending on the time horizon, investment risks may eliminate its entire advantage. Overall, this paper provides an updated foundation not only to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an APP but also to understand pension sustainability more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy PointsThe Orphan Drug Act (ODA) was the result of patient advocacy and by many measures has been strikingly successful. However, approximately 95% of the more than 7,000 known rare diseases still have no US Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment.The ODA's success led to sustained criticism of high drug prices, often for products that have orphan drug indications. Critics misconstrue the ODA's intent and propose reducing its incentives instead of pursuing policies focused on addressing broader prescription drug price challenges that exist in both the orphan and nonorphan drug market.Patients and their families will continue to defend the purpose and integrity of the ODA and to drive investments into rare disease research and clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy PointsThe health care sector is increasingly investing in social conditions, including availability of safe, reliable, and adequate transportation, that contribute to improving health.In this paper, we suggest ways to advance the impact of transportation interventions and highlight the limitations of how health services researchers and practitioners currently conceptualize and use transportation.Incorporating a transportation justice framework offers an opportunity to address transportation and mobility needs more comprehensively and equitably within health care research, delivery, and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the burden of cancers impacting low- and middle-income countries is projected to increase, formation of strategic partnerships between institutions in high-income countries and low- and middle-income country institutions may serve to accelerate cancer research, clinical care, and training. As the US National Cancer Institute and its Center for Global Health continue to encourage cancer centers to join its global mission, academic cancer centers in the United States have increased their global activities. In 2015, the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco, responded to the call for international partnership in addressing the global cancer burden through the establishment of the Global Cancer Program as a priority initiative. In developing the Global Cancer Program, we galvanized institutional support to foster sustained, bidirectional, equitable, international partnerships in global cancer control. Our focus and intent in disseminating this commentary is to share experiences and lessons learned from the perspective of a US-based, National Cancer Institute–designated cancer center and to provide a roadmap for other high-income institutions seeking to strategically broaden their missions and address the complex challenges of global cancer control. Herein, we review the formative evaluation, governance, strategic planning, investments in career development, funding sources, program evaluation, and lessons learned. Reflecting on the evolution of our program during the first 5 years, we observed in our partners a powerful shift toward a locally driven priority setting, reduced dependency, and an increased commitment to research as a path to improve cancer outcomes in resource-constrained settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium enterprises) play a vital role in the development of emerging economies, and their interactions with state‐owned enterprises can generate significant economic value for both parties. However, the dependency asymmetry between MSMEs and state‐owned enterprises can hinder their growth and overall relationship performance. This research explores the impact of various dimensions of relationship‐specific investments (RSIs) on fostering trust and satisfaction in these relationships. Additionally, the study investigates the moderating role of bilateral communication in the relationship between RSIs and satisfaction through trust. The conceptual model was assessed using a sample of 157 MSMEs, employing partial least squares structural equation modelling and necessary conditions analysis. The findings suggest that communication is crucial in building trust and satisfaction within these relationships. The literature has not extensively explored the context of these relationships and the application of necessary condition analysis, making this study valuable for policymakers. By understanding the factors that contribute to successful relationships between MSMEs and state‐owned enterprises, policymakers can create targeted strategies to support and enhance these interactions, ultimately fostering the growth and development of emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health can impact the quality of liver transplantation (LT) care. We sought to assess whether the association between neighborhood deprivation and transplant outcomes can be mitigated by receiving care at high-quality transplant centers. STUDY DESIGN: In this population-based cohort study, patients who underwent LT between 2004 and 2019 were identified in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. LT-recipient neighborhoods were identified at the county level and stratified into quintiles relative to Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Transplant center quality was based on the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients 5-tier ranking using standardized transplant rate ratios. Multivariable Cox regression was used to assess the relationship between ADI, hospital quality, and posttransplant survival. RESULTS: A total of 41,333 recipients (median age, 57.0 [50.0 to 63.0] years; 27,112 [65.4%] male) met inclusion criteria. Patients residing in the most deprived areas were more likely to have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, be Black, and travel further distances to reach a transplant center. On multivariable analysis, post-LT long-term mortality was associated with low-vs high-quality transplant centers (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.32), as well as among patients residing in high-vs low-ADI neighborhoods (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.34; both p = 0.001). Of note, individuals residing in high- vs low-ADI neighborhoods had a higher risk of long-term mortality after treatment at a low-quality (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.62, p = 0.011) vs high-quality (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.52, p = 0.471) LT center. CONCLUSIONS: LT at high-quality centers may be able to mitigate the association between posttransplant survival and neighborhood deprivation. Investments and initiatives that increase access to referrals to high-quality centers for patients residing in higher deprivation may lead to better outcomes and help mitigate disparities in LT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital strategic posture (DSP) is defined as a firm's overall strategic stance toward investing in information technology (IT) initiatives relative to that of rival firms. This study examines how a firm's DSP affects firm performance. Drawing on the competitive dynamics perspective and contingency view, we demonstrate that DSP influences competitive actions through dual pathways. First, DSP enables firms to take competitive actions that are more appropriate given the level of environmental uncertainty (captured by industry dynamism). In particular, our findings suggest that a proactive DSP enables relatively more innovation-oriented actions in dynamic industries while enabling relatively more operations-oriented actions in less dynamic industries. Second, DSP plays a facilitating role in firms' execution of competitive actions such that a firm's value from its proactive DSP is enhanced when there is a fit between the type of the firm's competitive actions and its level of environmental uncertainty. Specifically, we find that firms with a more proactive DSP achieve superior firm performance from innovation-oriented actions in dynamic industries and from operations-oriented actions in less dynamic industries. Taken together, our findings suggest that a proactive DSP not only allows firms to take appropriate competitive actions that fit their environmental conditions but also contributes to firms' performance by facilitating the execution of these appropriate actions, thus enhancing their efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore how ethnic identity, linguistic ideology, and family capital work in interaction in shaping Korean-Chinese migrant families' multilingual planning against the backdrop of China's rapid urbanisation and internal migration. A model of investment (Darvin and Norton [2015]. "Identity and a Model of Investment in Applied Linguistics." Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 35: 36–56) was drawn upon. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey on 30 Korean-Chinese bilingual families in Shanghai, and semi-structured interviews and home visits with six focal families over a period of four months. The findings revealed a shift to Chinese and English and a suspension of Korean learning in the families. It was shown that the bilingual parents reconstructed their ethnic identity through linguistic socialisation, acquired hierarchical language ideologies, and made differentiated use of family capital. Moreover, when facing ideological conflicts and structural constraints, these parents attempted to sever the assumed link between language and ethnic identity, claiming that ethnicity is in the blood but not in the language. They made family language investment decisions guided by imagined identities they had for their children. The study contributes to the body of FLP research by eliciting a more nuanced understanding of how identity mediates the investment of different forms of family capital in different languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sense of purpose, a consistent promoter of successful aging across the lifespan, has been shown in previous research to decline during older adulthood. As such, research is needed to understand how to inform policies around promoting a sense of purpose for older adults, and which adults may need more assistance on this front. One potential mechanism for lower purpose in older adulthood could be due to the more limited financial assets many face following retirement. As such, the current study investigated the cross-sectional associations between different kinds of financial assets and sense of purpose among older adults from the 2006 and 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 9,380). Sense of purpose as well as four financial assets were assessed: physical assets, retirement account assets, investment account assets, and debts. Findings indicated that greater physical assets and retirement account assets predicted a higher sense of purpose, while debt and investment account assets did not. Furthermore, there were no moderating effects of different grouping variables, such as retirement status, race, marital status, subjective health, or wave, on the associations between total net worth and sense of purpose. Findings are discussed regarding why net worth matters for all, and why certain assets may be more important than others when promoting a sense of purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on analyzing industry payments to endocrinologists in the U.S. between 2014 and 2022, revealing trends and proportions of payments for research and non-research purposes. Topics discussed include the substantial financial collaborations between endocrinologists and healthcare companies, the decline in general payments over time, and the significant investment in research payments despite a decrease in the number of endocrinologists receiving them.

Purpose: This systematic review examined the effects of tax-time saving interventions that promote saving with tax refunds from relevant experimental or quasi-experimental studies of interventions aimed toward low- and moderate-income adults delivered when filing U.S. income taxes. Method: A systematic review process was used to search for published and unpublished studies from sources through September 2021. Two reviewers screened studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias, and effects on savings rate and amount were synthesized using robust variance estimation. Results: This review included 14 unique studies. Five studies reporting 13 effect sizes for savings amount found a small, statistically significant effect (d = 0.06, 95% CI [0.05, 0.08]). Nine studies reporting 35 effect sizes found no statistically significant effect for savings rate (LOR = 4.11, 95% CI [0.42, 40.44]). Discussion: Results suggest some evidence that tax-time savings can be a relatively simple method for increasing the amount low- to moderate-income adults save. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article advocates for the building of local climate health equity into a resilience hub framework to address community needs and improve social determinants of health. It discusses challenges and opportunities for building climate health resilience such as aligning health efforts with policies. It proposes the use of place-based resilience hubs in neighborhoods to provide benefits in services and programming, communications, building and landscape, power systems, operations and maintenance.

This article comprehensively examines investments in India’s smart cities1 with a specific focus on public libraries. A survey of 100 Smart Cities Mission projects was conducted to gather data on budget allocation and expenditure for public libraries, construction and renovation projects, and IT infrastructure and outreach programs. Results reveal investments in 27 library projects across 12 states geographically distributed throughout India, spanning new library establishments, renovations, digitization efforts, and IT integration with library services. The majority of funds (60%) support new libraries including business and innovation components, while renovation projects claim 30%. The article contributes valuable insights for public library development, targeting library authorities, municipal administrators, and local planners as statutory services at the heart of community development and engagement of public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical analysis of Netflix's hit show Stranger Things has largely emphasized its nostalgic engagement with 1980s Americana, and particularly that decade's science fiction and horror films. However, trappings of the Gothic in Stranger Things do not merely align it with the twentieth century's recent past; they also function in ways that demonstrate Stranger Things' connection to the more distant past of the Romantic period's Gothic novels. This article extends the Gothic inheritance of Stranger Things beyond 1980s' science fiction horror to the Romantic Gothic novel's investment in the found manuscript, the departure point for examining the use of Dungeons & Dragons in Stranger Things alongside Mary Shelley's use of found manuscripts in Frankenstein and The Last Man. This article reads the found manuscript as a collaboratively produced parergon (a framing device sitting both inside and outside of the text), which works through acts of translation and recreation to bring the past to bear on the present. Through examining Stranger Things' conceptual framing of its alternate dimension, the Upside Down, and the monstrous Demogorgon through Dungeons & Dragons, this article argues that Dungeons & Dragons functions in Stranger Things as a Gothic found manuscript, drawing literary and Gothic pasts into the show's present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses and nurse leaders are increasingly vocal about chronic understaffing and the impact the staffing crisis continues to have on nurses' well-being and patient outcomes. The American Nurses Association's Nurse Staffing Task Force addressed the importance of staffing standards as a critically needed step toward improving patient and population health outcomes. Against the backdrop of ongoing nursing shortages, hospital leaders have been hesitant to embrace staffing ratios, expressing concerns about their ability to hire and retain sufficient nursing staff, as operational revenue margins remain thin and nursing labor is costly. This article explicates structural issues within the current nursing reimbursement model that harms hospitals' business case for investments in nurse staffing and work environments. We argue that nurses must advocate for nursing reimbursement reform to increase the nursing workforce and improve nurse staffing and work environments. Such reform is necessary to support sustained hospital investments, financial philosophies, and approaches to meaningfully address and improve nurse staffing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study uses capital theory to investigate survivors' investments in their bodies and the resources they accumulate during their rehabilitation trajectory, and how these factors impact their perception of recovery from their impairments. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 patients of working age and their relatives, with audio recordings transcribed verbatim. Data analysis utilized an abductive approach informed by Bourdieu's capital theory. Findings: During the initial phases of rehabilitation (acute and subacute), survivors invest in their physical bodies and acquire physical capital. However, they encounter a range of complex barriers when attempting to convert this capital into the resources necessary for re‐entering the workforce or pursuing education. These difficulties are linked to the lack of specialized community services in the later phases of their rehabilitation trajectory. Discussion and Conclusion: Present‐day Danish healthcare rehabilitation focuses on restoring physical function and recovering physical capital. However, comprehensive rehabilitation to enhance mental and cognitive abilities and increase levels of emotional capital, which is crucial for working‐age individuals, is inadequately addressed within community services. This results in unequal treatment and care, contradicting the stated goal of equality in the Danish healthcare system. Patient or Public Contribution: This study incorporated the perspectives of 20 individuals who have survived severe traumatic brain injury, as well as their relatives, to gain insights into their experiences throughout the rehabilitation process, the resources they have accumulated and how these factors contribute to their sense of recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying abroad acts as investment in human capital and ideally outweighs associated investment costs due to higher earnings or related non-monetary benefits. We estimate monetary returns to studying abroad for female graduates 1 and 5 years after graduation. The empirical estimates—based on panel data from four graduate cohorts in 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009—confirm positive returns to studying abroad. Mobile females earn 3.2% higher wages compared to non-mobiles at labor market entry. These initial wage gains tend to improve further over time, resulting in about 4.0% higher earnings for mobile females 5 years after graduation. Detailed consideration of different socio-economic groups reveals that female graduates from non-academic backgrounds and females majoring in social sciences benefit most. Studying abroad, therefore, has positive effects on later income of female graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyse and classify inclusions of corporate social responsibility in international investment agreements, especially inclusions with reference to public health. Method We extracted the text of international investment agreements containing corporate social responsibility inclusions from the electronic database of investment treaties. We conducted a documentary analysis of the corporate social responsibility inclusions, and we developed a typology categorizing inclusions based on level of detail and reference to international commitments. Findings Of the 3816 agreements signed as of October 2023, 127 agreements contain corporate social responsibility inclusions. Since the first inclusion of corporate social responsibility in 2008, the percentage of agreements containing such inclusion signed each year has steadily increased from 4.6% (4/86) in 2008 to 42.8% (21/49) in 2018 and 33.3% (3/9) in 2023. Using the typology we developed, we categorized the level of detail as follows: nine were minimal, 27 were low, 35 were low-medium, 107 were medium, 11 were medium-high and seven were high. Health is mentioned in 36 of these inclusions. Conclusion This analysis indicates that international investment agreements increasingly incorporate a high level of detail on expectations regarding investors' corporate social responsibility. Such provisions offer a potential tool to increase government guidance and accountability of global corporations, including with respect to governments' public health objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language is often used to demonstrate group membership and to establish cultural identity. When the language is not readily available or is at risk, individuals tend to turn to other markers to develop their cultural identity. Using Leximancer for thematic and conceptual analyses of interviews with ten accomplished musicians in Nova Scotia, Canada, we argue that the commitment to learning music and dance may act as a channel to learning Scottish Gaelic, a threatened local heritage language. Drawing on Norton's construct of investment in language learning, we consider the extent to which participants commit to learning the language and the music/dance for their identification to the Gaelic culture. Given that Gaelic music and dance traditions remain healthy, even as the language is declining, the results of our research have significant implications for language revitalisation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]