The latin american business environment: patent protection issues

Considers the issue of patent rights in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Reviews both theoretical and empirical literature on fitting patent systems to national circumstances. Data are considered shedding light on trade flows and capital formation, two areas impacted by strong or weak protection. Recommends a general hybrid system for Latin American nations, meeting GATT standards while remaining adaptable to individual country needs.     

Reporting under International Human Rights Treaties: Perspectives from Timor Leste's Experience of the Reformed Process

This article explores Timor Leste's experience of reportingunder the reformed international human rights treaties reportingsystem during the period 2004–2007. Whilst consciousnesshas grown of the difficulties faced by states by the duplicationof treaty reporting processes and the resource burden representedby reporting, the reforms instituted to date have been comparativelyminor. Timor's experience with the new Common Core Document(CCD)/treaty-specificdocument format affirms that reporting serves useful purposes,particularly in stimulating human rights education initiatives,government/NGO collaboration and awareness of human rights gapsin practice. The reformed process highlights cross-cutting humanrights matters. Yet, significant challenges remain, particularlyfor developing, post-conflict states, before reporting willattain its desired potential of support for improved human rightspromotion and protection at the national level. The CCD itselfraises complex conceptual difficulties needing resolution. Thereremains a paucity of appropriate methodological tools to supportthe reporting process and facilitate the integration of humanrights and development goals. Further work is thus needed toshape a sustainable process for reporting.     

College education requirements for police entry level and promotion: A study

Administrators of law enforcement agencies are increasingly caught up in conflicts between demands to increase educational standards for police officers and the need to justify those increased standards based upon job relevance. On the one hand, national commissions suggest four year degree prerequisites for entry level into police work; on the other hand, police administrators are reluctant to impose rigid higher educational requirements because of possible negative ramifications such as a limited recruitment pool, rapid officer turnover, and court mandates to prove the job relevance of a college education. This study addresses these concerns by reviewing current empirical studies and relevant court decisions which add insight into this topic and which will, hopefully, assist administrators in making decisions regarding college educational requirements for hiring and promotion.