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Article
Publication date: 19 April 2022

Alexis Villacis, Jeffrey Alwang and Victor Barrera

Motivated by transformations in global food systems and increasing demand for multidimensional credence attributes, the authors analyze cacao value chains in Ecuador – the main…

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Abstract

Purpose

Motivated by transformations in global food systems and increasing demand for multidimensional credence attributes, the authors analyze cacao value chains in Ecuador – the main producer of fine and flavor cacao worldwide. The authors identify opportunities and discuss how private and public sector initiatives can help meet emerging challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary information was collected through interviews of actors in the Ecuadorian industry during spring/summer 2020, including cacao producer associations, exporter associations, chocolate processing firms, public institutions and local universities. Two focus groups were also conducted with producers from associations in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Findings

Findings suggest new opportunities for cacao producers and chocolate processors have emerged from the global market transformation. To exploit these, firms need to personalize and differentiate their products, for example, by using quality certifications such as organic and fair trade. Market developments, such as European cadmium regulations and the necessity of worldwide traceability systems, are driving exporters to enhance Ecuador’s cacao value chains. The sector still requires coordination to reap the benefits associated with demands for credence attributes.

Originality/value

Findings are supported by two case studies. The first focuses on how associativity can help those producing high-quality beans to differentiate themselves in modern agri-food markets. The second describes the success of a local chocolate firm and its links with local farmers.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

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Article
Publication date: 19 April 2022

Jeffrey Alwang, Alexis Villacis and Victor Barrera

This study explores the determinants of growth of credence-based exports of yerba mate from Paraguay, potential for increased export growth, and the fragility of the…

132

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the determinants of growth of credence-based exports of yerba mate from Paraguay, potential for increased export growth, and the fragility of the credence-based export model. Much of the growth in value of yerba mate exports from Paraguay is due to positioning of the good within the universe of products where consumption is driven by perceptions of sustainable production and health benefits to consumers. Credence claims for yerba mate—benefits to indigenous producing communities, environmental sustainability under certain production processes, healthful alternatives to energy drinks—are now widely known, but the growth of this awareness came via a new entrepreneurial strategy of a single firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary information was collected through interviews of actors in the Paraguayan yerba mate value chain during spring/summer 2020. These included representatives from three exporting companies, processors, public institutions and indigenous producers.

Findings

The Paraguayan yerba mate export boom was stimulated through the careful cultivation of an image of healthful consumption and sustainable production processes. The cost of this cultivation was borne mainly by a single firm. Findings suggest that future marketing efforts will need to reinforce credence claims, highlighting the benefits to indigenous producers.

Research limitations/implications

This case study explores the determinants of growth of credence-based exports of yerba mate from Paraguay, potential for increased growth, and the fragility of the credence-based model.

Originality/value

Findings are supported by field interviews with value chain participants and detailed analysis of extant data. The paper is the first to discuss the fragility of relying on credence attributes for long-term demand growth.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

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Publication date: 20 November 2018

Ricardo Solis Rosales

This essay explores the critical vision of Francisco Barrera Lavalle about the Mexico’s Monetary Reform of 1905. In his critique, Barrera inserts an argument about the nature of…

Abstract

This essay explores the critical vision of Francisco Barrera Lavalle about the Mexico’s Monetary Reform of 1905. In his critique, Barrera inserts an argument about the nature of the balance of payments in the Mexican economy: the disequilibria in Mexico’s trade balance were structurally recurrent given the characteristics of what the country exports: commodities and raw materials. Barrera believed that the authorities made the mistake of overvaluing the peso, assigning it a value higher than what silver currency was worth at the time on international markets. Barrera also dismissed the idea that monetary stability could be achieved by suspending the free coinage of silver currency. Finally, Barrera held that banks should be obligated to pay their banknotes in gold, as they were in Great Britain and in the United States, not in silver coins.

Details

Including a Symposium on Latin American Monetary Thought: Two Centuries in Search of Originality
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78756-431-2

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Article
Publication date: 18 November 2024

Germán Rojas-Cabezas, Ronald Mora-Esquivel, Nicolas Márquez, Susana Chacón-Espejo, Victor Nocetti-Núñez and Juan Carlos Leiva

This study examines the relationships between green management, perceived barriers to sustainability and innovation performance in Latin American SMEs and how formal and informal…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the relationships between green management, perceived barriers to sustainability and innovation performance in Latin American SMEs and how formal and informal institutional factors influence these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a dataset collected by Iberoamerican small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) Observatory in 2022 and included 15 country-specific indicators for Latin American countries published in international data sources to address the formal and informal institutional contexts. Accordingly, the final sample comprises 11,319 SME observations from 16 countries. The analysis involved three phases. First, an R-Type Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Second, a cluster analysis. Third, a testing of the mediation theoretical model between the groups identified in the second study. To this purpose, the analysis included a multigroup analysis for covariance structure by three-stage procedures conducting structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The results revealed that both formal institutions (such as government policies and regulations) and informal institutions (such as social norms and cultural values) have a positive impact of green management practices on innovative outcomes in SMEs. However, the magnitude of this impact varies depending on the level of country-specific performance of the context. Additionally, the perceived barriers to sustainability do not play an intermediary role in this relationship within both institutional contexts. However, the effect of perceived barriers to sustainability on SMEs' innovation performance is diminished in the informal institutional context.

Originality/value

These conclusions provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable development in Latin America, highlighting the importance of institutional support in fostering SMEs' adoption of ecological practices.

Propósito

Este estudio examina la relación entre la gestión verde, las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad y el rendimiento de la innovación en las PYME latinoamericanas y cómo los factores institucionales formales e informales influyen en esta relación.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

El estudio utilizó un conjunto de datos recogidos por el Observatorio Iberoamericano de la PYME y se incluyó 15 indicadores de desempeño de países de América Latina publicados en fuentes de datos internacionales para abordar los contextos institucionales formales e informales. Por consiguiente, la muestra de datos final del estudio lo conforman 11,319 observaciones de Pymes de 16 países. El análisis incluyó tres fases. En primer lugar, un análisis factorial exploratorio. Segundo un análisis de conglomerados o clústeres. En tercer lugar, una prueba del modelo teórico de mediación entre los grupos identificados en el segundo estudio. Para ello, el análisis incluyó un análisis multigrupo para la estructura de covarianza mediante un procedimiento de tres etapas por medio de un modelado de ecuaciones estructurales.

Resultados

Los resultados revelaron que tanto en las instituciones formales (como las políticas y normativas gubernamentales) como en las informales (como las normas sociales y los valores culturales) las prácticas de gestión verde influyen positivamente en desempeño innovador. Sin embargo, la magnitud de este impacto varía según el nivel de desempeño del contexto de estos países. Además, el estudio mostró que las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad no tienen un papel de mediación en esta relación, en ambos contextos institucionales. Finalmente, se observó que el efecto de las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad sobre el desempeño innovador disminuye en el contexto institucional informal.

Originalidad

El trabajo aporta valiosas ideas para los responsables políticos que buscan promover el desarrollo sostenible en América Latina, destacando la importancia del apoyo institucional para fomentar la adopción de prácticas verdes por parte de las pymes.

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Article
Publication date: 12 September 2016

Adelphine Nibamureke, Egide Kayonga Ntagungira, Eva Adomako, Victor Pawelzik and Rex Wong

Post-cesarean wound infection (PCWI) is a common post-operative complication that can negatively affect patients and health systems. Poor hand hygiene practice of health care…

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Abstract

Purpose

Post-cesarean wound infection (PCWI) is a common post-operative complication that can negatively affect patients and health systems. Poor hand hygiene practice of health care professionals is a common cause of PCWI. This case study aims to describe how strategic problem solving was used to introduce an alcohol-based hand rub in a district hospital in Rwanda to improve hand hygiene compliance among health care workers and reduce PCWI.

Design/methodology/approach

Pre- and post-intervention study design was used to address the poor hand hygiene compliance in the maternity unit. The hospital availed an alcohol-based hand rub and the team provided training on the importance of hand hygiene. A chart audit was conducted to assess the PCWI, and an observational study was used to assess hand hygiene compliance.

Findings

The intervention successfully increased hand hygiene compliance of health care workers from 38.2 to 89.7 per cent, p < 0.001, and was associated with reduced hospital-acquired infection rates from 6.2 to 2.5 per cent, p = 0.083.

Practical implications

This case study describes the implementation process of a quality improvement project using the eight steps of strategic problem solving to introduce an alcohol-based hand rub in a district hospital in Rwanda. The intervention improved hand hygiene compliance among health care workers and reduced PCWI using available resources and effective leadership skills.

Originality/value

The results will inform hospitals with similar settings of steps to create an environment that enables hand hygiene practice, and in turn reduces PCWI, using available resources and strategic problem solving.

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 2008

Rosalind Willis

There is a popular perception that particular ethnic groups have a stronger sense of filial responsibility than is found in Western European societies, which has led to a belief…

197

Abstract

There is a popular perception that particular ethnic groups have a stronger sense of filial responsibility than is found in Western European societies, which has led to a belief that formal services are not required by minority groups. However, it has been suggested that some minority ethnic older people are actually in greater need of support, because of factors such as poorer health and lower socio‐economic status, than the white majority in Britain. Employing data from the 2005 Home Office Citizenship Survey, ethnic group differences in help given to family members are examined. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, there was only one ethnic group difference; black Caribbean older people had significantly lower odds than white British people of supporting members of their household. Support was equally likely among all other minority groups and the white British group, providing nationally representative evidence for an idea only previously speculated upon.

Details

Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-0980

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Book part
Publication date: 2 December 2024

Anubha Anubha, Govind Nath Srivastava and Daviender Narang

The Metaverse and Internet of Things (IoT) have emerged like a tidal wave, and it is creating a transformative impact on society and industry. The metaverse and IoT changed the…

Abstract

The Metaverse and Internet of Things (IoT) have emerged like a tidal wave, and it is creating a transformative impact on society and industry. The metaverse and IoT changed the way companies were operating earlier and customers were living their lives. On the other hand, Metaverse enriches the customer experience by offering a matchless virtual experience using augmented reality and state-of-the-art technology. The metaverse and the IoT can be used in various sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, retailing, health care, banking, and automobiles to make cities smart. Metaverse and IoT provide real-time data, reduces operational cost and errors, improves efficiency, and helps industries to make intelligent decisions. Although the IoT and Metaverse offer significant benefits, it is not free from limitations. Ethical dilemmas, privacy issues, data breaches, and difficulty in extracting relevant data impose serious challenges that need to be addressed. There is an urgent and dire need to create a trade-off between the interest of the business and the privacy and security of customers. This chapter aims to discover the potential of Metaverse and IoT in various sectors (e.g., healthcare, transportation, and electronics). This study will bring significant insights to researchers and policymakers by exploring the likely benefits of IoT and metaverse in diverse sectors to develop smart cities. This chapter will also explain the challenges of metaverse and IoT, which can be addressed by integrating data analytics tools optimally and efficiently.

Details

The Metaverse Dilemma: Challenges and Opportunities for Business and Society
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-525-9

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Book part
Publication date: 3 September 2021

Ndungi wa Mungai

The word Ubuntu has become widely known around the world as an African humanitarian wisdom that promotes international solidarity and Indigenous knowledge. The appeal of Ubuntu,as…

Abstract

The word Ubuntu has become widely known around the world as an African humanitarian wisdom that promotes international solidarity and Indigenous knowledge. The appeal of Ubuntu,as an African traditional philosophy is the emphasis on concern for fellow human beings. The primary aim of this critical literature review is to demonstrate the role Ubuntu can play in enriching social work and shifting the Euro-American foundations of the profession in teaching diaspora African students and practicing social work with diaspora African communities. The humanitarian values of Ubuntu, however, need not be limited to Africans.

This chapter explores how Ubuntu can be adopted in teaching social work and also enriching social work theoretical underpinnings. Social work has roots in Western philosophical foundations and cultural experiences, with a primary focus on supporting disadvantaged people in communities where it is practiced.However, there is a recognised need to expand this Western orientation to include other views as social work expands to be a global academic and practice profession.

An approach to learning and teaching based on Ubuntu has been described as ‘Ubuntugogy’ (Bangura, 2005). Ubuntugogy represents a holistic educational paradigm where education plays a role beyond an individual’s acquisition of knowledge and skills but instead aims at total development for the individual scholar, their community and their physical and social environment. Social work education is aimed at equipping students with the skills to contribute to the welfare of other human beings in the same way Ubuntugogy recognises the importance of mastering skills to transform individual learners and their communities. Both are therefore focused on practical education to create a world that meets the needs of the individuals and their communities.

Ubuntu approaches view education as a means for struggle for survival and liberation from oppression. There are similar approaches in education literature that emphasise the cultural and historical aspects of education (Lave, 2019). Ubuntu philosophy has roots in African traditions and history that also have clear echoes in other traditional societies that emphasise interdependence and relationships between people and their physical world in an intricate web of life.

Social work can learn from Ubuntu if it is to move beyond its traditional Western roots. Ubuntu and social work share the commonality of concern for human welfare. Ubuntu goes a step further in emphasising the intricate linkages between humans and nature in a non-hierarchical web. Social work can also enrich Ubuntu with its body of knowledge, accumulated since the late 19th century, in practical application of the identified Ubuntu ideals. This chapter presents an attempt at such a dialogue.

Details

Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: The Context of Being, Interculturality and New Knowledge Systems
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-007-5

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Book part
Publication date: 23 April 2024

Hernan Ramirez-Asis, Jorge Castillo-Picon, Jenny Villacorta Miranda, José Rodríguez Herrera and Walter Medrano Acuña

Financial inclusion in Peru has been addressed through coverage, quality of financial services, movement of transactions, and service points. The purpose of this chapter is to…

Abstract

Financial inclusion in Peru has been addressed through coverage, quality of financial services, movement of transactions, and service points. The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate for the department of Ancash, Peru, the link between financial inclusion and its socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic variables and financial inclusion of the Ancash department of the National Household Survey are taken as indicators, later contrasted through the logit model, with the financial inclusion variable being the explained variable.

There is evidence of positive and negative relationships between financial inclusion and socioeconomic variables; these are important components for planning financial inclusion. Raising the levels of formal employment, the educational level and considering the area of residence would be a strategy to generate a dynamic of inclusion in the department of Ancash.

Details

Technological Innovations for Business, Education and Sustainability
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-106-6

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Article
Publication date: 26 March 2019

Patricia Yin Yin Lau, Christina Kwai Choi Lee and ChyeKok Ho

The purpose of this paper is to explore how university fieldtrips progressively deepen student engagement, and explain that stage-by-stage using the organismic integration theory.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how university fieldtrips progressively deepen student engagement, and explain that stage-by-stage using the organismic integration theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Using reflective logs, follow-up focus groups after two years and facilitator observations, this Malaysian qualitative study followed 12 business students across two three-day rainforest fieldtrips.

Findings

Students progressed toward greater – and enduring – engagement, and transferable socio-cognitive skills, via three thematic stages. Voice and self-reflection – motivated by protecting group harmony – were key, enabled by facilitator and peer encouragement.

Research limitations/implications

This exploratory study invites research in specified education cultures. Further, a longitudinal, quantitative study could be designed to examine the conceptual framework developed in Figure 1.

Practical implications

University curricula, especially in collectivist high power distance cultures, should include fieldtrips as a particularly powerful form of experiential learning. Benefits of deeper engagement extend beyond present to future courses and the workplace. Higher student attraction/retention and employability may follow. Intrinsic motivation grows through the student–instructor interaction, watching theoretical principles in action, and having eureka moments through reflection, expression and exchange of ideas.

Originality/value

The research fills a gap by mapping student engagement progressively from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation along with socio-cognitive competencies. The authors reveal the centrality of voice and reflection to promote group harmony, explain the roles of facilitators and peers and show long-lasting transferable benefits to learning. Novelly, the authors provide empirical support for existing conceptual frameworks but also extend these.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 61 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

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