Home Country Research Articles

Friendly advice: socializing shaming in the committee against torture

ABSTRACT This article examines whether the relationship between the members of the United Nations’ Treaty Bodies’ (TB) home countries and the countries reviewed by these bodies is significant to the amount and style of criticism the reviewed country receives. This article explains why the source–target relationship is significant to shaming. It defines two shaming styles – Socializing shaming and Disciplining shaming and defines elements that enable the identification of shaming styles. Utilizing data on CAT shaming from 2001 to 2022 and on TB members’ country of origin it shows through regression analysis that the existence of a trade partnership between TB members’ home countries and reviewed countries results in more criticism. This article qualitatively identifies elements of Socializing versus Disciplining shaming in the communications with countries that are trade partners of the TB members’ home countries. It finds that Socializing shaming elements are more prevalent. This article draws theoretical, empirical and policy conclusions.

Designing a Spiritual Health Model for the Muslim Elderly Living in Nursing Homes.

The spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes is an essential aspect of their overall health that has been overlooked. There are no specific practical models available in this area. Therefore, the present study aimed to design a model to promote the spiritual health of Muslim elderly residents in nursing homes. This qualitative study is part of a larger study conducted in Iran in 2021 to design a model for the spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes in Islamic countries. The first part of the study was conducted using a qualitative method and a grounded theory approach. In the second part, using the findings of the qualitative stage and the theoretical production approach of Walker and Avant (2011), which includes three stages of determining central concepts, reviewing texts, and organizing concepts and statements within a relevant whole, a model for the spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes was designed. The resulting model includes assumptions, concepts, objectives, and operational strategies. Some crucial strategies of this model include improving social and organizational infrastructure, spiritual needs assessment, improving the structure and facilities of nursing homes, providing spiritual support, empowering nurses, likewise caregivers, and monitoring and evaluating corrective spiritual care. This model can provide a framework for enhancing the spiritual health of elderly Muslim residents in nursing homes by emphasizing improving the social structure and elderly care centers, assessing spiritual needs, providing spiritual support, and evaluating implemented measures.

Prevalence and correlates of mental disorders among Chinese overseas students during the COVID-19: A multi-regional cross-sectional analysis.

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extends beyond physical health, significantly affecting mental health. Chinese overseas students are particularly susceptible to the adverse psychological effects of the pandemic. Understanding the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in this population is essential for developing targeted interventions and support systems. Employing a snowball sampling technique, this study recruited Chinese overseas students from diverse regions. The 50-item Self-evaluation Table was utilized to assess the presence of mental disorders. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, 95% confidence intervals, means, and standard deviations, characterized the survey population. The chi-square test identified disparities among categorical variables, while logistic regression explored risk factors for mental disorders among Chinese overseas students. Out of the total sample size of 10,864 Chinese overseas students, a staggering 7,090 (65.4%) met the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders. Furthermore, the degree of mental disorder varied significantly across different regions (p < 0.001), education levels (p < 0.05), the duration of anti-epidemic measures (p < 0.05), and age (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in terms of gender (p > 0.05). Several risk factors contributing to the mental disorder burden among Chinese overseas students during the pandemic were identified, including the seriousness of the epidemic in their residential area, the apprehension of getting infected, anxieties regarding academic performance, the infection control policies implemented by the host government, preventive measures taken locally to counter the epidemic, and challenges encountered in returning to their home country. Given the significant challenges in mental health faced by Chinese overseas students during the COVID-19 crisis, addressing their specific needs and implementing tailored measures is imperative. Future public health emergencies should consider the potential mental disorders and disease risks faced by Chinese overseas students. By providing comprehensive support and targeted interventions, policymakers, educational institutions, and healthcare providers can help mitigate the adverse psychological effects and promote the well-being of this vulnerable population.

The Linder hypothesis for foreign direct investment revisited

AbstractThis article investigates the Linder hypothesis for foreign direct investment (FDI) within the three‐way gravity framework, utilizing a newly compiled and extensive dataset encompassing greenfield and brownfield investment activities across diverse sectors from 2003 to 2018. The Linder hypothesis posits that multinational firms invest in countries with comparable income levels to their home country. Our primary findings affirm the relevance of the Linder hypothesis in the context of horizontal FDI. The influence of the Linder effect varies among sectors, with the service sector exhibiting the most pronounced effect, while no detectable effect is observable for the manufacturing sector. We also find that the Linder effect depends on the sector's position within the value chain and the degree of quality differentiation. Sectors closer to final consumer demand and those characterized by higher product differentiation exhibit greater exposure to the Linder effect. Additionally, our analysis reveals that the Linder effect is subject to variations based on the income levels of the host country and highlights the significance of consumer preferences in shaping FDI patterns. Our article underscores the pivotal role of industry dynamics, product quality considerations, and value chain positioning in influencing the Linder effect on FDI.

Mental health and early career adaptation challenges of Chinese returnees and Korean ambitionists among the STEAM doctoral cohorts in the post-pandemic academic job market

ABSTRACT This longitudinal study presents a critical phenomenological comparison of mental health and early career adaptation challenges encountered by Chinese returnees and Korean ambitionists in the post-pandemic academic job market. They were international doctoral candidates in American higher education pursuing academic careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) but failed to secure tenure-track faculty positions. Consequently, all Chinese returned to their home country, while all Koreans remained in the United States. Findings demonstrate that both groups commonly experienced racial trauma, career anxiety, and ambiguous loss, albeit within each group’s diverse circumstances and immigration status, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study suggests implementing trauma-informed care within the chaos theory of careers. Therefore, this study calls upon the global public, intellectual societies, policymakers, and counsellors in comparative and international education to develop appropriate coping strategies and provide these emerging scholars with mental health counselling and career support services.

'You never know when you will need an antibiotic': A qualitative study of structural barriers and cultural assumptions in antibiotic misuse among immigrants in the United States.

The use of nonprescribed antibiotics increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a primary public health concern of the 21st century. This study explores structural and cultural determinants of antibiotic misuse among immigrants living in the United States who arrived from home countries with easier access to antibiotics. Adopting a qualitative approach, we interviewed 34 immigrants living in the United States and who had traveled back to their home countries within 1year of the interview. We followed the steps of constructive grounded theory to analyze the data. We found two primary influences of immigrants' use of nonprescribed antibiotics. The first was structural barriers to health care access in the host country, including insurance coverage, cost of an emergency department visit, cost of missing a paid day of work, complexity of the healthcare system, and communication issues with health care providers. The second was participants' cultural assumptions, including their experiences of antibiotics use, beliefs about antibiotics, a habit of self-medication, and uncertainty about future medical needs. This study informs policymakers concerned with combating antibiotic resistance. Promoting antibiotic stewardship among immigrants from countries with lax antibiotic-prescribing practices and improving access to appropriate channels for preventative and same-day care may reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Cultural food practices and sources of nutrition information among pregnant and postpartum migrant women from low- and middle-income countries residing in high income countries: A systematic review

Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) may engage in a range of cultural food practices during pregnancy, including restricting or avoiding foods high in protein and iron, and foods rich in vitamins and minerals. While research has explored the cultural food practices of pregnant women in LMICs, there is less understanding of the continued cultural food practices of women who migrate to high-income countries and then become pregnant. This systematic review explores the existing research on cultural food practices and sources of nutrition information among pregnant and postpartum migrant women from LMICs, residing in high-income countries. A systematic search was conducted in April 2024 across Global Health, CINAHL, and MEDLINE, published in English, with no date restrictions. Eligible studies included those focused on pregnant and postpartum women who had migrated from LMICs to high-income countries. Studies were excluded if they comprised of non-immigrant women or did not involve LMIC participants. Screened were studies for eligibility, data were extracted, and study quality was assessed. In total, 17 studies comprising qualitative (n = 10) and quantitative (n = 7) approaches were included. In 14 studies participants adhered to cultural food practices, wherein certain nutritious foods were restricted during pregnancy or the postpartum period; three studies noted limited adherence due to support, acculturation, and access to traditional foods. Most studies (n = 10) reported traditional “hot” and “cold” food beliefs during pregnancy and postpartum, aiming to maintain humoral balance for maternal and child health and to prevent miscarriage. Nutrition advice was sought from family members, friends, relatives, healthcare providers, and media sources, with a preference for advice from family members in their home countries. There is a need for culturally appropriate nutrition education resources to guide pregnant migrants through healthy and harmful cultural food practices and overall nutrition during this crucial period. (PROSPERO Registration: CRD42023409990).

Successful medical management of a pituitary macroadenoma with features of resistant acromegaly and hyperprolactinemia using pasireotide.

The somatostatin analog, pasireotide, is used for the treatment of acromegaly after the failure of surgery and/or first-line medical treatment. A 48-year-old male reported that during a workup for obesity in his home country, hyperprolactinemia was diagnosed and a 3.5 × 3.5 cm pituitary macroadenoma was identified on pituitary MRI. He received cabergoline for 6 months; then he was lost to follow-up. He presented at our Endocrine clinic 2 years later for treatment of obesity (BMI 49.5 kg/m2). Biochemical workup revealed that in addition to hyperprolactinemia (7,237 [normal: 85-323 mIU/L), he had acromegaly, evident by elevated insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level (450 [normal: 88-210 µg/L]), and a positive growth hormone suppression test, secondary hypothyroidism, and secondary hypogonadism. Pituitary MRI showed that the adenoma encased parts of the left and right internal carotid arteries and encroached on the optic chiasm. Surgical excision was therefore not feasible. He was treated with cabergoline and later, long-acting release (LAR) octreotide. Prolactin levels were reduced with cabergoline, but IGF-1 levels did not respond to octreotide, and it was discontinued. The patient abandoned radiotherapy after two sessions. He was started on LAR pasireotide 40 mg every 4 weeks and continued on cabergoline 0.5 mg per week. His biochemical response was dramatic, with a near normalization of IGF-1 levels in 3 months. After 6 months from starting pasireotide, we increased cabergoline dose from 0.5 mg/week to 3 mg/week. Three months later, IGF-1 level was normalized. The patient developed type 2 diabetes as a side effect of pasireotide; however, this was well-controlled with medications. The case suggests that pasireotide can provide marked biochemical improvement in acromegaly after the failure of both cabergoline monotherapy and cabergoline plus octreotide. This further confirms a potentially efficacious treatment regimen in treatment-resistant acromegaly with hyperprolactinemia.

Tourists’ perceptions towards stray/free-roaming animals (FRA): the case of İzmir, Turkey

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to investigate international tourists’ perceptions of stray/free-roaming animals (FRA) in İzmir, Turkey. The main issue addressed is whether FRA negatively affect tourism. İzmir was chosen as the focus of the study because the population of FRA (dogs and cats) is high and İzmir is one of the important tourism centres in Turkey. On annual visits to İzmir, the researchers witnessed an increase in the population of FRA in the city which provides the background of how and why this article came about. It is estimated that there are nearly 500,000 FRA in İzmir and it is known that 1.5 million tourists come to the city every year. In this regard, the study was undertaken to establish how visiting tourists to İzmir perceive FRA animals and their management. The factors that influence their perceptions were also assessed. In general, and where tourists encountered FRA, the animals’ treatment was perceived as more positive than in their home country and did not have a negative impact on the holiday experience.

Exploring risky health behaviors and vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases among transnational undocumented labor migrants from Bangladesh: a qualitative study

BackgroundIn Bangladesh, remittances constitute a substantial portion of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and serve as a primary source of income. However, a considerable number of Bangladeshi citizens reside overseas without proper documentation, exposing them to significant challenges such as limited access to healthcare and socioeconomic opportunities. Moreover, their irregular migration status often results in engaging in risky health behaviors that further exacerbate their vulnerability. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the risky health behavior and HIV/STI susceptibility of Bangladeshi irregular international migrants residing across the globe with undocumented status.MethodsUsing a qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), 25 illegal migrants were interviewed who are currently living illegally or returned to their home country. The author used a thematic approach to code and analyze the data, combining an integrated data-driven inductive approach with a deductive approach. Concurrent processing and coding were facilitated by employing the Granheim model in data analysis.ResultsThe study identified four risky health behaviors among irregular Bangladeshi migrants: hazardous living conditions, risky jobs, suicidal ideation, and tobacco consumption. Additionally, the authors found some HIV/STI risk behavior among them including engaging in unprotected sex, consuming alcohol and drugs during sexual activity, and having limited access to medical facilities.ConclusionsThe findings of this study can be used by health professional, governments, policymakers, NGOs, and concerned agencies to develop welfare strategies and initiatives for vulnerable undocumented migrant workers.

Reshoring, Automation, and Labor Markets Under Trade Uncertainty

We study the implications of trade uncertainty for reshoring, automation, and U.S. labor markets. Rising trade uncertainty creates incentive for firms to reduce exposures to foreign suppliers by moving production and distribution processes to domestic producers. However, we argue that reshoring does not necessarily bring jobs back to the home country or boost domestic wages, especially when firms have access to labor-substituting technologies such as automation. Automation improves labor productivity and facilitates reshoring, but it can also displace jobs. Furthermore, automation poses a threat that weakens the bargaining power of low-skilled workers in wage negotiations, depressing their wages and raising the skill premium and wage inequality. The model predictions are in line with industry-level empirical evidence.

“We Cannot Go There, They Cannot Come Here”: Dispersed Care, Asian Indian Immigrant Families and the COVID-19 Pandemic

“We Cannot Go There, They Cannot Come Here”: Dispersed Care, Asian Indian Immigrant Families and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Venture capital internationalization in China and the Uppsala model

Venture capital internationalization in China and the Uppsala model

Institutional effects on family business internationalization: a systematic review

Abstract Family firms play a vital role in the global business landscape, significantly impacting their home countries GDP. These firms diverge from non-family counterparts in their internationalization strategies, yet they stand to gain substantial benefits from international expansion. Beyond economic considerations, family resources and values introduce non-economic factors that challenge traditional economic theories. This study leverages an institutional approach to illuminate the multifaceted influences shaping family firms’ internationalization, encompassing positive and adverse dynamics. The integration of institutional theory marks a recent shift in understanding family firm internationalization, encompassing institutional and economic geography perspectives. To foster discourse and guide future research, this paper systematically reviews peer-reviewed articles covering over a decade, from 2010 to 2023. It identifies formal and informal institutional elements, alongside economic geography factors, that either facilitate or impede family firms’ internationalization. This review underscores existing knowledge gaps at the nexus of institutional theory, economic geography, internationalization, and family business studies. Notably, the systematic literature review uncovered a limited corpus of only 41 articles, indicating the need for more research exploring the synergy between economic geography and institutional factors in the context of diverse internationalization strategies. Furthermore, the review highlights the underexplored terrain within social institutions and economic geography, revealing a notable gap in the extant research.

Towards carceral protectionist territories: Relational geographies of anti-trafficking confinement in Nepal

The article draws on labour and migration bans in Nepal as a case study to advance nascent, yet growing attention towards trafficking borders in critical geographical research on anti-trafficking. It does so by highlighting a relational geography of carceral protectionist spaces which are encountered, navigated, and sometimes escaped by women citizens on the move who are pre-emptively rescued/‘saved’ from the possibility of being ‘trafficked.’ Specifically, we aim to extend these critical interventions on carceral protectionism in two interconnected ways. First, whilst extant research mainly focuses on institutions and actors within migrant destination states, we examine the operations of carceral protectionist spaces within the home countries of migrant women. Second, we tease out the ways carceral protectionist spaces can actively produce the very subjects they seek to deter or eradicate as they navigate and challenge these institutional spaces. Through the discussion, we develop threads of the conceptualisation of a carceral protectionist territory to indicate the multiple and diffuse, yet interconnected, sites through which women’s mobility aspirations are constrained by anti-trafficking infrastructures.

Foreign shareholding and corporate environmental expenditure: Evidence from China

AbstractThis paper estimates the effects of foreign investments on the environmental expenditure of listed companies in China by differentiating pre‐IPO foreign investors from post‐IPO foreign investors. Our findings indicate that while pre‐IPO foreign investments make significant and positive contributions, the influence of post‐IPO foreign investments is negligible. These results are particularly pronounced for enterprises that are privately owned, located in coastal China, operating in heavily polluting industries, and whose management lacks prior experience in environmental protection and international vision. Furthermore, research efforts are devoted to uncovering potential channels through which pre‐IPO foreign investments affect corporate environmental expenditure, including environmental regulations in home countries or regions, government attention to environmental issues, media coverage, and corporate financial constraints.

Do Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions by Emerging Market Enterprises Enhance Long-Term Productivity? The Host Country Market Size Effect Moderated by Technological Absorption Efforts

The purpose of this study was to establish a spatial structural framework to explore how cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;As) in emerging markets can enhance long-term productivity and select the appropriate host country market structures. Utilizing cross-border M&amp;A data from Chinese companies from 2008 to 2016, we developed a moderated U-shaped mediation model. Employing Two-Stage Least Squares and the Generalized Method of Moments for endogeneity analysis, we offer robust empirical insights. Our findings illustrate that enterprise productivity progression from cross-border M&amp;As is significantly influenced by a U-shaped mediation of the host country’s market size effect, which is further moderated by the technological distance between the home and host countries. A high technological distance intensifies the U-shaped mediation of market size effects on enterprise productivity, while low technological distances result in an inverted U-shaped curve, indicating that such markets may boost short-term productivity but limit long-term growth. Conversely, larger markets with greater technological distances better support sustained productivity increases, even requiring persistent technological absorption efforts. This study underscores the necessity of selecting appropriate host country market structures and effectively managing the acquisition timeline to positively impact both short- and long-term productivity. By conceptualizing firm-level technological absorption efforts as the technological gap between the home and host countries, this study highlights the crucial moderating role that the technological gap plays in influencing long-term productivity at the macro level, providing new insights into the economic geographic strategic decisions and spatial planning for emerging market enterprises in cross-border acquisitions.

The Paradox of Diasporic Peacebuilding Amidst Violence: Providing Reparations to Colombians Abroad

ABSTRACT: This article uses the case of Colombian migrants in the United States (U.S.) who are registered with the Colombian Unit for Victims to illustrate the tension that emerges when a home country commits to reparations for nationals in exile when violence in their home country has not ceased. Bridging studies on transitional justice, diasporas, and displacement, we show the disconnect between the Colombian state's original goal to assist with return as the primary form of reparation and displaced Colombians' goals for stability, particularly legal status, abroad. Through interviews with Colombian officials and U.S.-based migrants, our findings show the unique dynamics of transnational reparations and the specific issue facing migrants from war-torn countries when their country of origin engages in transitional justice interventions.

Changing Role of HR Manager in Global Market Place

Abstract: Research on "Management of Expatriates" is in its early stages. The challenge of preparing expatriate managers to serve as a bridge between parent and subsidiary firms and to thrive in different cultural contexts has emerged as an extra consequence of globalisation for many organisations. Hiring people from all over the world adds another layer of complexity to company cultures. There is a vast array of ethnicities, languages, and cultures represented among these people. Managers tasked with managing teams abroad should receive training to help them navigate cultural differences. An "expat" can be a manager from one nation whose home country's parent company sends them to live and work in another country. Proper training is vital if the expatriates are to succeed in their new surroundings and contribute to the organization's objectives. When employees participate in effective expatriate training courses, they may be better able to handle the challenges and stresses of cultural adaptation. Before, during, and after an assignment, participants get cultural training on subjects such home culture work and living in a host country. It could be more crucial to adjust to a different culture than to completely embrace it. The value of expat assignments is well-known by every prosperous business. By sending employees to work in other countries, a parent firm may help its subsidiaries run more smoothly. When travelling, a person's mindset and behaviour may diverge significantly from their home country. A company runs the risk of creating costly and unsolvable issues if it just talks to locals. By placing an expat onsite, cultural friction can be reduced. also, there are locations on every continent. Quality and safety standards may differ substantially from one country to another. Businesses may respond to client problems more quickly and individually when they hire personnel from different nations. While working overseas, an expat would have absorbed the values and norms of their home firm. Companies now value Expatiate Management. Management and training are two of the main reasons why expats fail.

Accelerate or delay? Big step internationalization and the speed of subsequent foreign expansion—evidence from Chinese MNEs

Purpose In recent decades, emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) have predominantly adopted a big step internationalization strategy to expand their business overseas. This study aims to examine the effect of big step internationalization on the speed of subsequent foreign direct investment (FDI) expansion for EMNEs. The authors also investigate the potential boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the random effects generalized least squares (GLS) regression following a hierarchical approach to analyze the panel data set conducted by a sample of publicly listed Chinese firms from 2001 to 2012. Findings The findings indicate that implementing big step internationalization in the initial stages accelerates the speed of subsequent FDI expansion. Notably, the authors find that this effect is more pronounced for firms that opt for acquisitions as the entry mode in their first big step internationalization and possess a board of directors with strong political connections to their home country’s government. In contrast, the board of director’s international experience negatively moderates this effect. Practical implications This study provides insights into our scholarly and practical understanding of EMNEs’ big step internationalization and subsequent FDI expansion speed, which offers important implications for firms’ decision-makers and policymakers. Originality/value This study extends the internationalization theory, broadens the international business literature on the consequences of big step internationalization and deepens the theoretical and practical understanding of foreign expansion strategies in EMNEs.