Evaluating competitiveness impacts of regulatory reforms in the Brazilian cashew industry

This work evaluates regulatory impacts on the Brazilian cashew industry through the pilot use of CIBER, a value-chain-based approach, to identify and measure regulatory constraints and to enact regulatory reforms in donor-funded development projects. Drawing from secondary sources complemented by primary field research, all the CIBER-suggested steps are followed. The results reveal that tax and credit regulations should be priorities to improve the competitiveness of the cashew business in Brazil, and that CIBER can be an effective tool to expand industry analysis and to design reform strategies towards improved competitiveness.     

Parliamentary Questions as an Instrument for Geographic Representation: The Hard Case of Portugal

This article asks whether and why, in a system lacking electoral incentives to cultivate personal votes, MPs might choose to signal to geographic constituents. It explores this question by analysing the number of written parliamentary questions submitted to the Portuguese parliament on two issues – unemployment and crime – between 2009 and 2015, and asking if MPs are more inclined to table questions on specific issues when their districts suffer particularly from related problems. The article finds evidence that constituency‐level problem pressure does matter for the signalling activities of MPs, although policy specialization remains the main driver of their issue emphasis. This finding contributes new knowledge to the ongoing debate on the factors accounting for the representative relationship between MPs and constituents, by drawing attention to the importance of district‐level problem pressure as one of the drivers of issue sponsorship in parliament.     

Longitudinal Pathways from Cumulative Contextual Risk at Birth to School Functioning in Adolescence: Analysis of Mediation Effects and Gender Moderation

Children and adolescents exposed to multiple contextual risks are more likely to have academic difficulties and externalizing behavior problems than those who experience fewer risks. This study used data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (a population-based study; N?=?6961; 51?% female) to investigate (a) the impact of cumulative contextual risk at birth on adolescents’ academic performance and misbehavior in school, (b) learning difficulties and/or externalizing behavior problems in childhood as intervening mechanisms in the association of cumulative contextual risk with functioning in adolescence, and (c) potential gender differences in the predictive associations of cumulative contextual risk at birth with functioning in childhood or adolescence. The results of the structural equation modeling analysis suggested that exposure to cumulative contextual risk at birth had negative associations with functioning 16 years later, and academic difficulties and externalizing behavior problems in childhood mediated some of the predictive relations. Gender, however, did not moderate any of the associations. Therefore, the findings of this study have implications for the prevention of learning and conduct problems in youth and future research on the impact of cumulative risk exposure.     

The NASA/Florida Minority Institution Entrepreneurial Partnership: An Infrastructure to Enable Technology Transfer to Small Businesses

The NASA/Florida Minority Institution Entrepreneurial Partnership (FMIEP) represents a new infrastructure for technology transfer based on an alliance between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA), and four Minority Institutions in the State of Florida. This paper describes this partnership, their key activities, and some of the initial results accomplished. The NASA-FMIEP was developed in order to assist in the technological advancement of small businesses through the support of existing federal programs. Many of these programs are underutilized, particularly by small and minority-owned businesses. One of these programs aims to transfer advanced NASA technologies to the private sector. The FMIEP supports Kennedy Space Center by identifying new potential markets for technologies developed at the Center and by developing innovative information technology applications necessary to support the efforts of technology transfer. In addition, the FMIEP';s business thrust includes assisting Kennedy Space Center in promoting the participation by small business in the Technology Outreach Program and the Small Business Innovation Research Program. To date, one NASA technology has been successfully commercialized, seven hundred businesses have been made aware of these federal business-assistance programs, and four companies received important assistance that enabled them to become SBIR winners.     

Domestic Violence in Hispanics in the Southeastern United States: A Survey and Needs Analysis

Violence is a significant health issue for Latinas in the United States (US), with 54.9% reporting violent victimization. However, little is known about battering among Hispanic women in the southeast. The southeastern corridor, a rural area in search of cheap labor, is a magnet for undocumented agricultural workers. The purpose of this study was to describe domestic violence in Hispanic/Latino women in the southeastern US, including type and frequency of violence experienced, barriers to obtaining treatment, and services needed by women who have been abused. Hispanic women completed questionnaires developed from information from focus groups. Results indicate that domestic violence is a major health problem for women in the southeast, and document previous findings as well as offer new insights about Hispanic women who have experienced domestic violence. Implications are discussed in terms of the need for community partnerships and interventions, as well as routine screening and crisis intervention.     

Book reviews

The article attempts to model structural adjustment patterns in a single, middle‐income oil exporter, Mexico. It explores the economy‐wide costs, in terms of economic growth, income inequality and poverty, of Mexico's economic stabilisation policies of the 1980s. On the basis of counterf actual simulation, it also explores the likely impacts of alternative adjustment strategies. This analysis utilises a modified Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) approach designed to overcome one of the major shortcomings of the conventional SAM: the assumption of unitary expenditure elasticities in household accounts. The base model is calibrated to track the overall and sectoral growth performance of the Mexican economy from 1980 to 1986 and becomes the foundation upon which our policy experiments are built. The article is part of an on‐going study of economy‐wide impacts of alternative structural adjustment policies in Mexico [Adelman and Taylor, 1990], and proceeds as follows: the SAM framework and estimated SAM are described in parts I and II; part III presents the base SAM model solution for 1980 to 1986; part IV presents the results of the policy experiments; and the conclusions are summarised in part V.     

Electoral Integrity and Turnout in a Context of Violence at the Sub-National Level in Mexico, 2015–2018

In this article, we analyse the effect of electoral integrity on electoral participation in violent contexts. Using data from Local Electoral Authorities on electoral results, Electoral Integrity rates, and the Peace Index, we develop an exploratory analysis for sub-national elections in Mexico, in the 2015–2018 period. We conclude that, when elections are characterised by a high level of integrity, the negative impact of violence on turnout lessens, or almost disappears. By doing this, we contribute to the existing literature about the effects of violence on turnout at the sub-national level and to the studies on electoral integrity.     

To be different: the challenge of social-community psychology

Summarizes the author's life and how differences contributed to her selection of community psychology and to various choices she has made to further her goals. Focuses on her context within a colonial setting and on the significance of being a woman in her particular environment. Shows how clarity and steadfastness to ideals linked to divergent skills and a collaborative and participatory ideology have bred change. Signifies students' contributions to the generation of new energy as well as new conceptualizations. Finally, stresses the importance of international and interdisciplinary collaborations to enrich both our lives and the discipline of community psychology.