Market structure and performance of US multinationals in Brazil and Mexico

This paper presents the results of a regression analysis of the market structure determinants of profitability among the Brazilian and Mexican manufacturing affiliates of US multinational corporations. The study employs data on 206 firms derived from a special survey specifically designed to obtain detailed information on their market structure environments and performance characteristics. Our estimates confirm that seller concentration, product differentiation, and relative market share are three sources of market power of these firms. Despite the many economic and noneconomic differences between Brazil and Mexico, there are no systematic differences between the two in their underlying structure‐performance relationships.     

From Sore Throats to Greenland: Howard Brenton’s Utopian Plays

British playwright Howard Brenton once wrote, “There is an infinite variety of ways of making theatre, but only one theme which, inevitably, Aeschylus was onto—it’s simply ‘how can we live justly?’” Brenton’s entire oeuvre reflects his struggle to answer this basic question but he has specifically characterized three of his plays as Utopian. These are Sore Throats, Bloody Poetry, and Greenland. The plays comprise a journey which begins, in the playwright’s words, “far from human dignity and peace” and ends 700 years from now with a vision of Brenton’s hopes for the future: “how I hope my children, or my children’s children’s children, will live and think.” The works explore the nature of love, individual relationships, and sexual roles as these relate to issues of power and manipulation. The corrupting power of money, and English complacency and acquiescence, are additional major themes. Finally, they all confront the question of human responsibility and its relationship to the individual and to society. Ultimately, they offer us an unmerciful look at the worst of human nature and a liberating vision of the good we are capable of achieving.     

欧洲专利申请程序及途径介析

在欧洲申请专利有四种途径:直接适用国内程序;直接适用欧洲专利局程序;国内程序和专利合作条约程序相结合;欧洲专利局程序和专利合作条约程序相结合。不同申请途径的主要程序各不相同、各有不足。对这些程序进行介绍和分析,有助于专利代理人了解欧洲专利申请,以更好地为客户服务。     

The Scavenging Patterns of Feral Cats on Human Remains in an Outdoor Setting

Two cases of feral cat (Felis catus) scavenging were documented at the Forensic Investigation Research Station in Whitewater, Colorado. Human remains at the facility are placed outside, observed daily, documented with field notes, and photographed; decomposition is scored on a Likert scale. Scavenger activity is monitored with game cameras. The cases documented included: preferential scavenging of the soft tissue of the shoulder and arm, differential consumption of tissue layers, superficial defects, and no macroscopic skeletal defects. This pattern more closely parallels the documented pattern of bobcat (Lynx rufus) scavenging than that of domestic cats. Scavenging among felids is relatively rare, as felids typically prefer to hunt. Such cases studied in detail are relatively few, spatially relative, and lack statistical robustness. While only two examples are reported here, these cases are rare overall, and this documentation may help field investigators understand the place of feral cats within a local scavenger guild.     

Impressions of ineffectiveness: exploring support partners’ attitudes toward sex offender registration and notification

ABSTRACT

The present study utilized in-depth qualitative interviews with 38 people who provided formal social support to registered sex offenders to explore their attitudes toward sex offender registration and notification (SORN). Findings revealed that there were three primary areas of perceptions that these support partners had concerning SORN laws. These themes – incapable of adequately raising public awareness, unable to impact sex offender recidivism, and inappropriate for most sex offenders – suggested that such policies were ineffective strategies for sex offender management. Limitations, directions for future research, and corresponding policy implications are discussed.     

The Proposed 100 by 50’ Act: Protecting Collective Bargaining of Workers in a “Just Transition” to a Clean-Energy Future

There is a longstanding misconception that any overlap between environmental policy and labor rights results in conflict. With the intensifying threat of climate change and the decline of fossil fuel development, international labor and climate groups have collaborated to develop a framework for a just transition to sustainable development that emphasizes social dialog between stakeholders. An increasing number of nations are guided by this framework as each incorporates its own transition model. The United States, however, remains on the sidelines. This article proposes that the U.S. enact recently proposed legislation to transform its energy sector, while also protecting its workers and the environment.     

Smart art: Whistler,British Columbia's brand transition to include arts and culture

The importance of city and destination branding is well studied. Cities and regions choose to pursue branding efforts for a variety of reasons. Some regions that choose to invest in branding are looking to reposition their brand to encompass arts and culture in order to stimulate economic growth. The Resort Municipality of Whistler, British Columbia, has employed this approach in an effort to grow year-round tourism and protect itself from a changing climate and business environment. Leveraging 2 of Hankinson's ( 2009 ) destination branding components, partnerships and communications, to the case study of Whistler, British Columbia, this paper explores its brand repositioning towards the arts and culture.