Diversification Process Research Articles

Migrant-led diversification and differential inclusion in arrival cities across Asia and the Pacific

The closely related processes of migration and diversification call for greater scrutiny of how contemporary arrival cities incorporate increasingly diverse groups of newcomers through practices and processes of differential inclusion. This special issue highlights arrival cities in the Asia-Pacific region, attending to how they are being transformed by the wide-ranging temporal and spatial dimensions of migrant-driven diversification. Rather than begin with how coexistence in the context of diversification ought to be, the collection of papers included here builds inter-references through contexts that are, ultimately, non-universal. In so doing, this special issue responds to recent calls by social scientists to extend our frames of reference beyond the dominant centres of knowledge production in Europe and North America in understanding the links between migration and urban diversity. The papers included here focus on arrival cities and urban places in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as an exercise in open-ended imagination, advancing the conversation on urban diversification in the age of global migration. We organise these forms of urban change and migration-driven differentiation along four key themes of temporalities, spatialities, intermediaries and norms that emerged from the collection of papers. Using these four conceptual themes, modes of differential inclusion function as tools of discipline and governance at one level, and are mobilised to subvert and negotiate power relations at another. As refracted through these four axes of analysis, differential inclusion draws our attention to the multiscalar and multi-actor politics of diversification.

The Politics of Mapping Religion: Locating, Counting, and Categorizing Places of Worship in European Cities

This article critically analyses the proliferation and production of what we call “religious maps” in Europe in recent years. Religious maps have emerged as a form of monitoring, describing, and representing spatial processes of (ethno-) religious diversification. Through the comparative empirical analysis of the cases of Barcelona, Hamburg, and Amsterdam, we demonstrate that maps and the knowledge formations they (re)produce have become key tools to govern religious diversity in contemporary Europe. Counting, mapping, and categorizing places of worship provides allegedly objective and stable knowledge about increasingly complex and dynamic religious practices. Religious maps also make religion “legible” for the state through the classification of places of religious practice according to historically contingent categories of religious traditions and groups and by (re)producing what Brian Harley calls “cartographic silences”. As such, the practice of mapping religions necessarily reduces the complexity of transnational and translocal social reality. This produces particular forms of intelligibility and representational hierarchy through which policy-makers and citizens in general understand religion in cities. The article shows that the analysis of the ways maps are conceived, produced, and circulated offers a distinctive lens through which to explore entanglements of knowledge, media, and power in the contemporary making of social, political, cultural, and religious landscapes.

Phylogenetic biome conservatism as a key concept for an integrative understanding of evolutionary history: Galliformes and Falconiformes as study cases

Abstract Biomes are climatically and biotically distinctive macroecological units that formed over geological time scales. Their features consolidate them as ‘evolutionary scenarios’, with their own diversification dynamics. Under the concept of phylogenetic niche conservatism, we assessed, for the first time, the evolution of biome occupation in birds. We aimed to analyse patterns of adaptation to different climatic regimes and the determinant factors for colonization of emerging biomes by clades from different ancestral biomes. In this work, we reconstructed the biome occupation history of two clades of birds (Galliformes and Falconiformes) under an integrative perspective through a comprehensive review of ecological, phylogenetic, palaeontological and biogeographical evidence. Our findings for both groups are consistent with a scenario of phylogenetic biome conservatism and highlight the importance of changes in climate during the Miocene in the adaptation and evolution of climatic niches. In particular, our results indicate high biome conservatism associated with biomes situated in some of the extremes of the global climate gradient (evergreen tropical rainforest, steppe and tundra) for both bird taxa. Finally, the historical dynamics of tropical seasonal biomes, such as tropical deciduous woodlands and savannas, appear to have played a preponderant role during the diversification processes of these bird lineages.

Origin of scarlet gynogenetic triploid Carassius fish: Implications for conservation of the sexual-gynogenetic complex.

Conservation of sperm-dependent asexual (gynogenetic) species is challenging due to their complicated ecological dynamics, which requires the stable coexistence with their sperm-providing sexual relatives, who often share similar niches. A symbolic but vulnerable gynogenetic animal is the scarlet Carassius fish, or Hibuna, which is mainly found in Lake Harutori on Hokkaido, Japan. Although Hibuna in Lake Harutori has been protected as a symbol of the Natural Monument of Japan, it has recently suffered population decline. To establish an effective conservation strategy for Hibuna, we investigated its origin, reproductive mode, and genetic diversity, with reference to the surrounding wild populations, using nuclear microsatellites and mitochondrial gene sequences. Our genetic analyses revealed that the main ploidy of Hibuna was triploid or tetraploid, and it reproduces gynogenetically. However, no co-existing sexual diploid Carassius was detected among our samples, suggesting that the sexual diploids and the gynogenetic population including Hibuna would be at risk of co-extirpation. In addition, Hibuna showed high genetic/clonal diversity and most Hibuna had nonindigenous mitochondrial haplotypes that are mostly identical to those reported from goldfish. These results indicate that Hibuna most probably originated from hybridization between indigenous gynogenetic triploids and goldfish introduced about 100 years ago, involving rare sexual reproduction. This spontaneous long-term field experiment exemplifies the recently documented diversification process of gynogenetic Carassius via complex interploidy gene flow. Although the priority to be placed on the conservation of Hibuna is controversial, the maintenance of gynogenetic Carassius, including Hibuna, requires strategic conservation of sexual populations.

Foreign presence in the Southwest French countryside. Contribution of recent initiatives to the social and economic diversification of rural areas

Less studied and documented than in the cities, the presence of foreigners in the French countryside remains more discreet and often unknown today. However, new international migrations are crossing rural areas, thus adding to previous movements. In rural southwestern France, our statistical analysis, based on census data obtained from INSEE and available since 1968, reveal their spatial distribution and the process of social diversification at work. This process has led us to question contemporary rural dynamics through the prism of international migration. Whether the migrants encountered in the framework of the CAMIGRI program surveys act directly in the development of new economic and social initiatives, or contribute to their genesis and development, their presence and their point of settlement significantly interfere with the trajectory and the evolutions of certain characteristic of rural places. In the Vienne, the Dordogne and the Ariège, a cross-analysis of three recent initiatives provides food for thought on the emergence of innovative forms of rural entrepreneurship. These types of entrepreneurship have in common that they are situated in the field of arrival of foreigners in rural areas: either through a specific activity (agriculture), or through the creation of services that allow for integration, accompaniment, emergency or permanent welcome. Thus, the anchoring of foreigners, which is part of the current rural dynamics, can be seen as a real perspective of endogenous development and innovation that enhances rural resources by relying on local territorial configurations.Keywords: international migration, territorial anchorage, entrepreneurship, resource, rural

The Role of Molossidae and Vespertilionidae in Shaping the Diversity of Alphacoronaviruses in the Americas.

Bats are reservoirs of diverse coronaviruses (CoVs), including progenitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. In the Americas, there is a contrast between alphacoronaviruses (alphaCoVs) and betaCoVs: while cospeciation prevails in the latter, alphaCoV evolution is dominated by deep and recent host switches. AlphaCoV lineages are maintained by two different bat family groups, Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae plus Molossidae. In this study, we used a Bayesian framework to analyze the process of diversification of the lineages maintained by Molossidae and Vespertilionidae, adding novel CoV sequences from Argentina. We provide evidence that the observed CoV diversity in these two bat families is shaped by their geographic distribution and that CoVs exhibit clustering at the level of bat genera. We discuss the causes of the cocirculation of two independent clades in Molossus and Tadarida as well as the role of Myotis as the ancestral host and a major evolutionary reservoir of alphaCoVs across the continent. Although more CoV sampling efforts are needed, these findings contribute to a better knowledge of the diversity of alphaCoVs and the links between bat host species. IMPORTANCE Bats harbor the largest diversity of coronaviruses among mammals. In the Americas, seven alphacoronavirus lineages circulate among bats. Three of these lineages are shared by members of two bat families: Vespertilionidae and Molossidae. Uncovering the relationships between these coronaviruses can help us to understand patterns of cross-species transmission and, ultimately, which hosts are more likely to be involved in spillover events. We found that two different lineages cocirculate among the bat genera Molossus and Tadarida, which share roosts and have common viral variants. The bat genus Myotis functions as a reservoir of coronavirus diversity and, as such, is a key host. Although there were some spillovers recorded, there is a strong host association, showing that once a successful host jump takes place, it is transmitted onward to members of the same bat genus.

Theorizing ‘Variegated Bonding as SME Diversification Strategy’ to Extend Business from Traditional to Emergent Sectors

Few studies on diversification strategies address small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and how they differ from large firms. Although related diversifications tend to be the approach for SME diversifications, we need to know more about unrelated diversifications by SMEs. This study focuses on the process of SME unrelated diversification and conduct ethnographic case study on a family business SME from Kyrgyzstan. The inductive process study offers variegated bonding as a possible process of SME diversification. The process consists of the three steps: appetizing, baby-stepping and reconstructing identity. This study extends the extant literature on SME diversification and investigates how the organizational aspiration of identity reconstructions could lead to the focal organization’s entry to an unrelated sector and establishing connectivity between its core and emergent sector organization that eventually alters its identity.

Global Labor Market Intermediaries: The Power of Leading Staffing Firms

Abstract Since the 1970s, labor markets have been neoliberalized worldwide. In this context, labor market intermediation has been increasingly privatized and the temporary staffing industry (tsi) has undertaken a process of internationalization and diversification. This article seeks to discuss how and to what extent leading staffing firms have become powerful global labor market actors while diversifying their staffing services internationally. Building on the literature on the internationalization/globalization of the tsi in the 2000s, the article outlines a theoretical perspective for understanding current leading staffing firms as global labor market intermediaries (glmi) and discusses the key empirical results of two case studies conducted during 2020 on the international diversification of the two main glmi s: Randstad and the Adecco Group. The article suggests that glmi s have developed this strategy to expand and, consequently, secure their “classification power” in order to increase labor market flexibilization and the consequent informalization and precarization of work.

FORMATION OF VECTORS OF MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS

The article presents the results of research on the main indicators of business development management in rural areas. Accordingly, the theoretical and methodological principles of modeling rural business development management are formed and substantiated, in particular, the main problems of rural business structures development are identified, vectors in managing the development of existing rural potential are identified, approaches, methods, modeling tools are determined, which facilitates their selection and application. As a result of the study, a system of indicators for assessing the processes of differentiation of business development management, which comprehensively reflects its main characteristics, and is based on the calculation of an integrated indicator to assess the level of diversification of rural business, identify its parameters get options for combining results with the selection of alternative activities. The necessity of creating centers of economic growth by stimulating the development of innovative entrepreneurship in rural areas is substantiated and proved, first of all, due to the processes of diversification of business development management taking into account the specifics of a particular rural area. as well as their continuous improvement for the full use of the potential of each rural enterprise individually and the comprehensive development of local communities, increase new jobs, increase the competitiveness of rural areas and more.

Identifying areas for multidimensional biodiversity conservation, with a case study in Oaxaca, Mexico

The greatest challenge that we currently face is generating integrative conservation strategies to guarantee the preservation not only of species richness, but also of ecological functions and evolutionary history. We propose to assess these different dimensions to identify areas of high multidimensional diversity (AMC), and exemplify this approach with cricetid mice, in a region of Mexico with high diversity that is considered a priority for global conservation. We elaborate models of the potential geographic distribution of 49 species of mice to predict their communities; we then used those predictions to calculate the number of rare species, and taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Subsequently, we identify AMC and evaluate their ecological integrity and the level to which they are protected by government and indigenous communities. We found a high spatial incongruity between the different dimensions of biodiversity, which indicates that in situ diversification processes and dispersal limitation drive spatial heterogeneous patterns of diversity. The AMC overlapped very little with the governmental (6.4%) and indigenous communities (15.2%) conservation areas, the Payments for Environmental Services initiative is the most overlaps. Half of the AMC had an intermediate ecological integrity. Protected areas systems protect few sites with high multidimensional biodiversity values, and half of the priority areas we identified requires restoration programs. The proposed methodology is an integral way to evaluate current protected areas systems and will be useful to guide effective and efficient conservation priorities involving evolutional and ecological dimensions of the biodiversity.

Measuring and assessing international diversification strategies of Indian companies

PurposeThe paper aims to measure the nature and extent of international diversification followed by Indian companies over the period 2009–10 to 2017–18. The study also aims to assess the pattern of transition of companies to various strategies of international diversification.Design/methodology/approachJacquemin and Berry’s (1979) entropy approach has been applied to measure the extent and assess the nature of international diversification. Further, the study deploys two-dimensional categorical framework advocated by Vachani (1991) and categorizes the firms into four international diversification strategies.FindingsLarger proportion of companies in internationally low diversification (ILD) strategy reveals low extent of international diversification of Indian companies. The pattern of diversification depicts that the trend of moving forward is speeding up sequentially toward higher strategies of growth. Both the extent and pattern depict that the nature of diversification is shifting from relatedness to un-relatedness with transitions from intra-regions to inter-regions. The study confirms the applicability of eclectic theory and psychic distance Uppsala model in determining the preference of international diversification strategies and process of internationalization respectively in Indian firms.Originality/valueThe paper is first of its kind on account of several reasons. First, such a comprehensive evaluation of preferences for international diversification strategies has never been taken up with reference to emerging economies, especially India. Second, the paper is not static and does not limit itself only to the identification of favored strategies of Indian companies but also gauges the transitional behavior of Indian companies across different strategies at different points of time. In fact it is the first study to statistically research the applicability of psychic distance model in firms in emerging economy. Third, the results not only measure the quantum of international diversification but also assess the extent of relatedness and un-relatedness followed by Indian companies.

Transnational migrants and the socio-spatial superdiversification of the global city Tokyo

Tokyo illustrates a particularly interesting case of differential inclusions of transnational migrants in urban spaces, as the novel turn in migration policy in coordination with urban economic development has induced the arrival and diversification of migrant populations into the city. With the recent historic opening of the country to lower-skilled labour migration as well as measures to (re-) attract the global economy, thus incentivising transnational corporate professionals to relocate to specific national economic zones within the city, Tokyo is in a new socio-spatial diversification process. With a non-ethno-focal lens on transnational migration and focusing on upper-class transnational corporate migrants, this article discusses diversification regarding the newer arrivals of migrants who are differently included in the urban spaces as compared to older generations of migrants. It delivers novel accounts of a diversifying transnational migrant groups’ socio-spatial patterns within Tokyo, which illustrate the dynamics of differential inclusions resulting from the superdiversification of urban societies. The article gives new insights into the socio-spatial diversification dynamics of transnational urban spaces in a long-neglected but highly topical Asian arrival city, and conceptually reflects such localised superdiversification of urban spaces on a global scale.

Plio-Pleistocene climatic change drives allopatric speciation and population divergence within the Scrophularia incisa complex (Scrophulariaceae) of desert and steppe subshrubs in Northwest China.

Numerous temperate plants and animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are hypothesized to have differentiated due to vicariant allopatric speciation associated with the geologic uplifts. However, this hypothesis has rarely been tested through a phylogeographic study of relative species in a broader geographic context, including the QTP, Tianshan Mountains, Mongolian Plateau, and surrounding regions. To understand the speciation and diversification process of plants across this wide area, phylogeographic analysis were examined from Scrophularia incisa and two other closely relative species comprising S. kiriloviana and S. dentata. Thirty-two populations of the three close relatives were genotyped using chloroplast DNA fragments and nuclear microsatellite loci to assess population structure and diversity, supplemented by phylogenetic dating, ancestral area reconstructions and species distribution modelings, as well as niche identity tests. Our chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) phylogeny showed that this monophyletic group of desert and steppe semi-shrub is derived from a Middle Pliocene ancestor of the Central Asia. Lineages in Central Asia vs. China diverged through climate/tectonic-induced vicariance during Middle Pliocene. Genetic and ENM data in conjunction with niche differentiation analyses support that the divergence of S. incisa, S. dentata and S. kiriloviana in China lineage proceeded through allopatric speciation, might triggered by early Pleistocene climate change of increase of aridification and enlargement of deserts, while subsequent climate-induced cycles of range contractions/expansions enhanced the geographical isolation and habit fragmentation of these taxa. These findings highlight the importance of the Plio-Pleistocene climate change in shaping genetic diversity and driving speciation in temperate steppes and deserts of Northwestern China.

Agglomeration, recombinant innovation and the role of market reforms in a transitioning China

ABSTRACT This paper estimates a knowledge production function to study the effects of local spillovers on the patenting activity and new innovation sales of Chinese firms during a period marked by rapid economic reform. We show that local spillovers expected to arise between co-located firms in related industries encourages firm innovation outcomes, especially among firms that diversify their core competencies into new related (versus unrelated) technological domains. Exploiting the gradual and spatially uneven economic transitioning process as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that the positive effects of relatedness on firm innovation are significantly larger in size following more intense market-oriented reforms. The results are potentially relevant for policy-makers in transitioning economies, highlighting for the first time the importance of firms' own diversification process and market-oriented reforms for encouraging innovation-enhancing technological related spillovers.

АГРОПРОМЫШЛЕННОЕ ПРОИЗВОДСТВО КАЗАХСТАНА: ВОПРОСЫ ДИВЕРСИФИКАЦИИ КАК ПРИОРИТЕТНОГО НАПРАВЛЕНИЯ РАЗВИТИЯ

As a result of agricultural reforms carried out in Kazakhstan, the legal and organizational forms of farms have changed, and a diversified economy has been formed. The purpose of the study is to assess the state of the country's agro-industrial complex, to identify the main problems and prospects for the growth of agricultural production, to show the importance of diversification processes for the sustainable development of agricultural sector in the context of destabilization of the world economy. Methods – quantitative-qualitative and factor analysis, economic-statistical, abstract-logical conclusions. Results – the situation in AIC for 1990-2021 is analyzed in crop production and animal husbandry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Dynamics of sown areas of main agricultural crops of enterprises, peasant (private) farms in recent years and 1990 shows that there have been changes in the structure of crops in the republic: expansion of the size of arable land for cultivation of wheat, vegetables, melons, root crops and reduction in forage grasses. A study of the livestock sector in Kazakhstan led to the conclusion that population nu mber of livestock and poultry did not reach the level of 1990. The data on redistribution of livestock by categories of farms are presented. The necessity of its increase for creation of large livestock complexes is substantiated. Conclusions – the authors note that at present, th e country's agricultural producers are facing a constant increase in costs. This leads to higher food prices. Diversification in market economy makes it possible to reduce the risks of unreasonably high costs and respond flexibly to imbalances between supp ly and demand, maintain production capacities, and ensure the growth of profits and profitability of agricultural producers. It is necessary to use i nnovative, resource-saving technologies, the integrated use of land resources, and solution of the problems of degraded pastures.

Adapting to climate change among transitioning Maasai pastoralists in southern Kenya: an intersectional analysis of differentiated abilities to benefit from diversification processes.

ABSTRACT With increasingly fragmented rangelands, restricted mobility and climatic stress, diversification has accelerated among East African pastoralists. Diversification is also promoted as a climate change adaptation strategy to reduce climatic exposure. Through a study of a Maasai communal land in southern Kenya, we analyze how pastoralists navigate changing access to key productive resources that are linked to diversification processes, social differentiation, and the reshaping of livelihood practices. By integrating an intersectional approach in access theory, we unpack a deeper level of context specific patterns of inclusion and exclusion embedded within evolving production relations.

The GCC Economies in the Wake of COVID-19: Toward Post-Oil Sustainable Knowledge-Based Economies?

The economic crisis and decline in oil prices caused by the pandemic led governments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to step up their diversification efforts. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries were already striving to diversify their economies away from dependence on hydrocarbons, with varying degrees of success. Their development plans and visions aim to shift their economies away from oil and gas toward knowledge-based post-oil economies with solid and sustainable foundations. Accordingly, this paper has three goals. Firstly, it aims to present the GCC’s socio-economic features and highlight the importance and relevance of economic diversification. Secondly, it seeks to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on GCC economies and evaluate how the pandemic spurred diversification initiatives. Thirdly, the paper aims to analyze the present state of the knowledge-based economy in the GCC region, including its strengths, drawbacks, and prospects for the future. The methodology of the paper is based on a semi-systematic literature review that includes academic and gray literature. The findings highlight that throughout the previous several decades, continuous efforts to develop the status of ICT, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship in several GCC countries have contributed to improving their international competitiveness, as seen by advancements in rankings issued by various international organizations. Furthermore, political stability, significant financial resources, and a stable credit rating provide these countries with solid foundations for future sustainable development. However, several functional, structural, and cultural factors challenge the diversification process and the shift toward a knowledge-based economy.

The dark side of the geography of innovation: relatedness, complexity and regional inequality in Europe

ABSTRACT As regions evolve, their economies become more complex, and they tend to diversify into related activities. Although there is a bright side to this diversification process in terms of economic development, there may also be a dark side to it, as it possibly contributes to regional inequalities. The paper uses data on industries and patents to analyse the diversification patterns of 283 regions in 32 European countries over the past 15 years. We find that only the most economically advanced regions have the opportunity to diversify into highly complex activities. These regions tend to focus on related high-complex activities, while lagging regions focus on related low-complex activities, creating a spatial inequality feedback loop. This pattern creates a wicked problem for innovation policy: the strategy needed to improve the innovativeness of the European knowledge system might disproportionately benefit regions that are already developed and foster disparities.

Proper acquisition of cell class identity in organoids allows definition of fate specification programs of the human cerebral cortex

Realizing the full utility of brain organoids to study human development requires understanding whether organoids precisely replicate endogenous cellular and molecular events, particularly since acquisition of cell identity in organoids can be impaired by abnormal metabolic states. We present a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic, epigenetic, and spatial atlas of human cortical organoid development, comprising over610,000 cells, from generation of neural progenitors through production of differentiated neuronal and glial subtypes. We show that processes of cellular diversification correlate closely to endogenous ones, irrespective of metabolic state, empowering the use of this atlas to study human fate specification. We define longitudinal molecular trajectories of cortical cell types during organoid development, identify genes with predicted human-specific roles in lineage establishment, and uncover early transcriptional diversity of human callosal neurons. The findings validate this comprehensive atlas of human corticogenesis invitro as a resource to prime investigation into the mechanisms of human cortical development.

Производственно-экономические особенности сельскохозяйственного районирования: региональный аспект

Abstract. Purpose. The article is devoted to the study of spatial differentiation of the basic conditions for the development of agricultural production and the identification of production and economic features of agricultural zoning of the Volgograd region, the parameters of which determine the development of priority areas and tools for the territorial development of the agrarian economy of the region. Methods. The methodological basis of this article is formed by the general scientific principles of the territorial (spatial) approach; methods of analysis – computational and constructive, system analysis, expert assessments, economic and statistical; the basic research tool is agricultural zoning, the practical use of which makes it possible to identify peculiar territorial formations with their characteristic production and economic features. Scientific novelty. The presented generalization of the spatial differentiation of the basic conditions for the development of agricultural production in the region made it possible to identify the production and economic features of agricultural zoning, manifested in: pronounced natural zonality of the distribution of agricultural productive forces; changes in the nature and production and economic proportions of agricultural production when moving from north to south and from west to east; local manifestations of contrasts “center – periphery” in the countryside. Results. Within the framework of the substantiation of the production and economic specifics of the zoning of rural territories of the Volgograd region, the parameters of specialization, settlement of the population and its self-sufficiency with agricultural food, as well as the efficiency of the functioning of agricultural production were investigated. Processing of a set of socio-economic indicators made it possible to argue the priorities of territorial development of agricultural production in agricultural areas, the essence of which is: the need for regulatory influence from the state to stimulate the processes of diversification of activities and compliance with scientifically sound crop rotations on the most fertile lands of the region; comprehensive investment (concessional lending and targeted project financing, subsidies and subsidies) and infrastructure (development of land reclamation, cooperation, logistics and processing) support for livestock and feed production in the arid areas of the region.