Francisco Luis Torres and Kelsey Tayne
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the superhero genre, when couched in a space and project that seek to act as a counter-world and is rooted in the life experiences of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the superhero genre, when couched in a space and project that seek to act as a counter-world and is rooted in the life experiences of youth, can allow Latinx elementary school students the opportunity to create counter-stories. Such stories facilitated the process of creating “critical hope” in relation to oppressive political discourses.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative study conducted at an afterschool club in the Western USA. Using the superhero genre, elementary school students, grades third-fifth, participated in a project in which they created superhero and villain narratives set in their community.
Findings
The authors found that the superhero genre supported some Latinx students to develop counter-stories that engaged with and resisted the heightened xenophobic and racist discourse appropriated by then US presidential candidate Donald Trump in the context of the 2016 presidential campaign. These counter-stories allowed youth to engage in critical hope to imagine a better, more just world.
Originality/value
In a time when young Latinx students are continually subjected to racism and xenophobia promoted by political figures and taken up by popular media and the general public, it is necessary to support students in creating counter-stories and critical hope that push back against oppression. Findings suggest that the superhero genre can support Latinx students to discuss, dismantle and counter hateful discourses while striving for hope.
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Luís Oscar Silva Martins, Inara Rosa de Amorim, Vinicius de Araújo Mendes, Marcelo Santana Silva, Francisco Gaudencio Mendonça Freires and Ednildo Andrade Torres
This study aims to examine the price and income elasticities of short- and long-run industrial electricity demand in Brazil between 2003 and 2020. The research also examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the price and income elasticities of short- and long-run industrial electricity demand in Brazil between 2003 and 2020. The research also examines the impacts of COVID-19 in Brazil’s industrial electricity sector, including an analysis in states more and less industrialized.
Design/methodology/approach
Dynamic adjustments models in panel data are used to present robust estimates and analyze the impact of different methodologies on reported elasticities.
Findings
The short-run price elasticity is estimated at −0.448, while the long-run values are around −1.60. Regarding income elasticity, the value is 0.069 in the short-run and is concentrated in 0.25 in the long-run. The inelastic results of income show that the industrial demand for electric energy follows the trend of loss of competitiveness of the Brazilian industry in the past years. In addition, the price of natural gas, the level of employment, and, in specific cases, the level of imports also influence industrial electricity demand.
Originality/value
The research is a pioneer in the investigation of the industrial behavior of electricity of the Brazilian industrial branch, using as control variables, the average temperature, and the level of rainfall, this one, so important for a country whose main source is hydroelectric. In addition, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study, which is prepared to analyze the effects of COVID-19 on electric consumption in the industrial sector, investigating these impacts, including in the states considered more and less industrialized. The estimates generated may help in the design of the Brazilian energy policy.
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Francisco Villarreal-Valderrama, Carlos Santana Delgado, Patricia Del Carmen Zambrano-Robledo and Luis Amezquita-Brooks
Reducing fuel consumption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during transient operation is a cornerstone to achieve environment-friendly operations. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Reducing fuel consumption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during transient operation is a cornerstone to achieve environment-friendly operations. The purpose of this paper is to develop a control scheme that improves the fuel economy of a turbojet in its full operating envelope.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel direct-thrust linear quadratic integral (LQI) approach, comprised by an optimal observer/controller satisfying specified performance parameters, is presented. The thrust estimator, based in a Wiener model, is validated with the experimental data of a micro-turbojet. Model uncertainty is characterized by analyzing variations between the identified model and measured data. The resulting uncertainty range is used to verify closed-loop stability with the circle criterion. The proposed controller provides stable responses with the specified performance in the whole operating range, even with after considering plant nonlinearities. Finally, the direct-thrust LQI is compared with a standard thrust controller to assess fuel economy and performance.
Findings
The direct-thrust LQI approach reduced the fuel consumption by 2.1090% in the most realistic scenario. The controllers were also evaluated using the environmental effect parameter (EEP) and transient-thrust-specific fuel consumption (T-TSFC). These novel metrics are proposed to evaluate the environmental impact during transient-thrust operations. The direct-thrust LQI approach has a more efficient fuel consumption according to these metrics. The results also show that isolating the thrust dynamics within the feedback loop has an important impact in fuel economy. Controllers were also evaluated using the EEP and T-TSFC. These novel metrics are proposed to evaluate the environmental impact during transient-thrust operations. The direct-thrust LQI approach has a more efficient fuel consumption according to these metrics. The results also show that isolating the thrust dynamics within the feedback loop has an important impact in fuel economy.
Originality/value
This study shows the design of an effective direct-thrust control approach that minimizes fuel consumption, ensures stable responses for the full operation range, allows isolating the thrust dynamics when designing the controller and is compatible with classical robustness and performance metrics. Finally, the study shows that a simple controller can reduce the fuel consumption of the turbojet during transient operation in scenarios that approximate realistic operating conditions.
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Claudia Mayordomo Zapata, Salvador Moreno Moreno and José Miguel Rojo Martínez
In this chapter, we analyse the role of women in armed Basque nationalist and separatist terrorist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) from a gender perspective. ETA women were…
Abstract
In this chapter, we analyse the role of women in armed Basque nationalist and separatist terrorist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) from a gender perspective. ETA women were essential agents in the armed conflict, but their image in the mass media and society has been very different from that of their male colleagues (Rodríguez Lara, 2017). Also, their role in the terrorist gang has described a sexually based functional specialisation. In addition, this chapter seeks to contribute to the area of feminist studies on women and political violence. Women's role in one of the most important armed nationalist groups in Europe, ETA, stands as a suitable case study to understand how the mass media (press, journalism), audiovisual content, and social representations of ETA have portrayed these women. The final conclusion of this chapter is that women were not portrayed in the same way as their male colleagues. Women of ETA were doubly penalised because they were women and because they were terrorists.
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José Gerardo Ignacio Gómez Romero, Francisco Martín Villarreal Solís and Xochitl Escamilla Arango
The confinement resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all human activities. With technology, many of these activities such as business processes are being…
Abstract
The confinement resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all human activities. With technology, many of these activities such as business processes are being transformed. As such it is important to understand how these transformations are taking place and how to address the new challenges with equally innovative strategies.
The purpose of this chapter is to analyse and explain the influence of e-commerce as an independent variable, in consumption habits, and as a dependent variable, in times of COVID-19, for consumers in Durango Mexico. To do so, a quantitative methodology was adopted, in which each of the variables is diagnosed, followed by ANOVA and regression tests to determine the proposed relationship.
The findings show that e-commerce does have an impact on consumer buying habits in the city of Durango, that the ‘surf the internet’ dimension is the one that occurs most frequently and that price is the factor most highly valued by consumers.
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Samuel Façanha Câmara, Francisco Roberto Pinto, Felipe Roberto da Silva, Paulo Torres Junior and Marcelo Oliveira Soares
This study aimed to identify the potential for economic activities related to the ocean economy in Brazil to become blue economy (BE) activities, in which the concept of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to identify the potential for economic activities related to the ocean economy in Brazil to become blue economy (BE) activities, in which the concept of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is central.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the aim, the authors collected information on the SDGs and estimated data from the ocean economy sectors for the 256 Brazilian coastal cities. The authors predicted the indices for potential development of territories and sectors in the BE using two parameters: employed persons (EP) and sectoral added value (AV).
Findings
The results show that the capitals of coastal states present the highest potential indices for the BE, especially Rio de Janeiro, which accounted for 83.3% of sectoral added value in the Brazilian ocean economy with potential for sustainable development and generated 107,800 active formal jobs (26.9% of the country's total). In addition, restaurants, hotels and similar establishments are, on the Brazilian coast, the most frequent on the coastal zone and have the highest potential for BE activities.
Originality/value
Regarding its contributions, this research innovates by developing an indicator that can help stakeholders understand the similarities and differences between cities and regions, whether through a social, economic, or environmental lens. Therefore, by following this methodological path for measuring the BE, viewing the distinct patterns of sustainable development by area is possible, thereby supporting action plans for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the implementation of a marine spatial planning process for the country in the context of the Ocean Decade (2021–2030).
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2023-0112
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This study aims to investigate the impact of the enforcement of the international anti-bribery legal framework in developing countries.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of the enforcement of the international anti-bribery legal framework in developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses the PetroTiger case to examine the effects of foreign bribery prosecutions in Colombia, from a bribe-receivers perspective. PetroTiger is a USA-based company that was prosecuted for bribing public officials in Colombia. As a result, the public officials involved were also prosecuted in Colombia for receiving bribes. This case serves to illustrate how international anti-bribery law operates in practice and how it impacts Colombian law enforcement institutions and their capacity to prosecute bribe-receivers. The Colombian response to the international anti-corruption framework is examined in this study through the review of legislative efforts taken to address the problems of bribery and corruption in public procurement.
Findings
This study finds that enforcement of foreign bribery laws raise awareness of the situation of corruption in developing countries, generate parallel prosecutions of individuals at the receiving end of bribes and helps developing countries to develop technical expertise to fight corruption.
Practical implications
In practice, due to the transnational nature of foreign bribery, without international agreements, this type of corruption in international business would seldom lead to prosecution. Although the effectiveness of the enforcement of international anti-corruption law is debated, in reality, prosecutions of foreign bribery by developed countries have more positive than negative implications for developing countries.
Social implications
Assist to continue efforts to deter corruption.
Originality/value
No many studies have looked at the effectiveness of anti-corruption international law in developing countries. As indicated by Mr. Moulette Patrick head of Anti-Corruption Division at organisation for economic co-operation and development more research on the effectiveness of the UN enacted Convention against Corruption, which is what this paper does.
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Can we do business with strangers? A major handicap to any promotion is ignorance of the market and its members. In order to understand Latin Americans, says Albert Hirschman, we…
Abstract
Can we do business with strangers? A major handicap to any promotion is ignorance of the market and its members. In order to understand Latin Americans, says Albert Hirschman, we must first understand how Latin Americans understand each other. We see the “facts” one way, but their perception of these same facts is often very different. This is my purpose in reporting on Peru's attitude and internal discussions on international trade. Why Peru? A U S. State Department official told me that they consider Peru as a sort of bell wether in South America. Abraham Lowenthal of the Inter‐American Dialog says Peru has an international significance greater than would be expected, considering the size of its economy, and E. V. K. Fitzgerald of Cambridge says the Peruvian experience is significant in judgimg prospects in South America.
Salvador Antón i Clavé, Francisco López Palomeque, Manuel J. Marchena Gómez, Sevilla Vera Rebollo and J. Fernando Vera Rebollo
The Geography of Tourism in Spain is now at a par in terms of its scientific production with other European countries. Since the middle of the '80s the quality and volume of…
Abstract
The Geography of Tourism in Spain is now at a par in terms of its scientific production with other European countries. Since the middle of the '80s the quality and volume of contributions is analogous to the rest of the European Union, although as a part of University Geography in Spain it has not achieved the level of dedication reached by other subjects considering the importance of tourist activities to the economy, the society and the territory of Spain. It could be said that the Geography of Tourism in Spain is in the international vanguard in dealing with Mediterranean coastal tourism, with the relationships between the residential real estate and tourism sectors and with aspects related to tourism and leisure in rural and protected areas.
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Marek Michalski, Jose-Luis Montes-Botella and Ram Narasimhan
This paper aims to examine the non-linear aspects of the relationship between asymmetry and performance in supply chains (SCs), under varying intensities of collaboration and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the non-linear aspects of the relationship between asymmetry and performance in supply chains (SCs), under varying intensities of collaboration and integration.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper offers a useful new approach to designing strategic elements of supply chain management (SCM) relationships. Using the partial least squares method, an empirical study of 66 companies in Spain has been conducted to clarify contemporary relationships, suggest new directions and ultimately contribute toward developing SCM theory.
Findings
The influences of asymmetry on performance in varying collaboration and integration contexts are shown to be unstable and have non-linear paths. It is inappropriate for all firms to collaborate or integrate continually, even for a prescribed period. Furthermore, due to asymmetry, SCM processes are more complex.
Research limitations/implications
The results’ validity may be limited to contexts specific to Spanish SCs. It would be valuable to investigate the impact of asymmetry on firms’ performance and relationships in other markets.
Practical implications
Collaborations and integration between partners in a SC might change the role of asymmetry from restraining to improving performance. The best way to improve performance in asymmetric relationships is to collaborate. Certain dimensions of integration and full integration are not necessarily required to improve firms’ performance under asymmetry conditions.
Originality/value
The study adds a new viewpoint on SCM by suggesting that not all collaboration and integration developments lead directly to improved performance.