National economic performance and its determinants: an empirical analysis

This paper tests critical determinants of national economic performance over time and across different countries. The effects of countries' infrastructure, human capital, innovative ability and cost of capital on economic performance were studied. Countries were grouped into developed, developing and least developed economies. Results showed infrastructure positively related to national economic performance. Human skill was also positively related to economic performance but its effect was confined to least developed countries in recent years. Finally, innovative ability was positively related to economic performance of developed countries. The study showed that the importance of innovative ability as a determinant of national economic performance has increased over time. Implications are drawn for the different economies based on the findings.     

The Interplay Between Diabetes and Pancreatitis: Two Case Reports of Sudden,Natural Deaths and a Review of the Literature

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common disease involving insulin resistance or deficit that, when left unchecked, may cause severe hyperglycemia and subsequent end‐organ damage. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is inflammation of the pancreas that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. AP and DM both account for a significant amount of sudden deaths, and rarely both disease processes may be present in the same decedent, causing some difficulty in wording the cause of death statement. Although much research has been directed at studying the causes and risk factors for AP and DM, there is a complex interplay between these diseases that is not fully understood. This study presents two autopsy cases of sudden, natural deaths that illustrate this interplay, along with a review of the literature. An algorithm for differentiating AP and DM is then discussed in the context of the presented cases as a proposed aid for forensic pathologists in the certification of such deaths.     

Simulating transfer and persistence of a chemical marker powder for Lycopodium clavatum spores

In this research a chemical marker powder, based on Lycopodium clavatum spores, was studied to determine its transfer and persistence on a T-shirt. Such chemical marker powders are used to provide evidence that a person has handled a covertly marked object, such as a drug package. The powder was found to transfer readily between a marked item and the person handling it. The powder was found to persist on a T-shirt for up to 13 h; however, there was only a very small amount of powder remaining at this time. The rate of loss of the L. clavatum spores was found to follow a decay curve. The largest decrease in spores from the T-shirt was seen in the first 2 h after the marked item had been handled.     

Examining Procedural Justice and Legitimacy in Corporate Offending and Beyond‐Compliance Behavior: The Efficacy of Direct and Indirect Regulatory Interactions

Tom Tyler's Procedural Justice Theory has received support in a variety of studies using criminal justice authorities as the research focus. To date, the theory has not been empirically tested using corporate malfeasance as an outcome, despite evidence that procedural justice is important in achieving regulatory compliance. This study uses factorial survey methods to examine whether corporate behavior is predicted by professionals' perceptions of procedural justice and legal legitimacy. We find that procedural justice and legitimacy considerations are salient only when managers have direct contact with regulatory authorities. This supports John Braithwaite's argument that effective regulation is enhanced by microlevel interactions in which procedural justice can be effectively leveraged to promote compliance.     

Child Fatalities in Dammam: A Call for Child Fatality Reviews in Arab Countries

Identifying children's risk exposure is the first step toward mortality prevention. This retrospective study determined the causes of child fatalities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Death reports of children and adolescents from 1999 to 2015 (N = 157) were analyzed. Boys represented most cases (69%) and there were two age peaks (1–5 years and 16–18 years). Accidents (typically immersion) defined the main death circumstance (51%) followed by homicide (25%). Only 33% of cases underwent autopsy, and the most common cause of death was head injury (27%) followed by firearm injury. Only one immersion death underwent autopsy. This study revealed important data about the risk exposure of children in Dammam and emphasizes deficient investigative procedures. Child fatality reviews comprise systematic data collection by multidisciplinary teams to determine the true risks toward children in a community. Such teams do not exist in Arab countries; therefore, strategies should be implemented to initiate them.     

Measuring corporate environmental crime rates: progress and problems

The problem of corporate crime rates has been the subject of debate, speculation and operationalization for decades, largely stemming from the complexity of measuring this type of crime. Examining corporate environmental crime poses challenges and creates opportunities for advancing the discussion of corporate crime rates, but criminologists are less familiar with environmental data. In the current paper, we review the strengths and weaknesses of existing environmental data that can be used to construct the components of an environmental crime rate. We also present a corporate environmental crime rate derived from data on violations of the Clean Water Act and describe problems with using it in real world data. Implications for theory, practice and future research are discussed.

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Indicators as a Technology of Global Governance

The use of indicators is a prominent feature of contemporary global governance. Indicators are used to compare and rank states for purposes as varied as deciding how to allocate foreign aid or investment and determining whether states have complied with their treaty obligations. This article defines the concept of an indicator, analyzes distinctive features of indicators as technologies of governance, and identifies various ways in which the use of indicators has the potential to alter the topology and dynamics of global governance. Particular attention is paid to how indicators can affect processes of standard setting, decisionmaking, and contestation in global governance. The World Bank Doing Business indicators and the United Nations Human Development Index are analyzed as case studies.     

Reaching the marginalised? Gender value chains and ethical trade in African horticulture

Ethical trade, through codes of practice, forms an important part of the value chains for horticultural products sourced from Africa by major European buyers. This paper explores the relationship between value chains in the horticultural sector, the employment patterns of African producers, and the process of code implementation from a gender perspective. It asks whether, in the context of the gendered economy, codes alone can improve working conditions for all workers. Using case studies of Kenyan flowers, South African fruit, and Zambian flowers and vegetables, the article highlights the implications of flexible employment strategies for workers, and shows that social codes have not necessarily achieved better outcomes for women and informal workers, owing to the gendered economy. Ultimately, it is only by addressing the local gendered economy that the employment conditions of all workers, including those of marginal workers and women, are likely to improve.