Institutional Constraints Research Articles

Identifying and Analysing Constraints in the Branded Rice Market: A Comprehensive Study of Stakeholders in Kerala, India

The study assessed the various constraints faced by the stakeholders in branded rice market in Kerala. These stakeholders include farmers, exporters, non-exporting private rice manufacturers, co-operative society, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. By examining the constraints across the branded rice market from production to consumption, the study aimed to identify the critical issues like, production constraints, procurement constraints, marketing constraints, institutional constraints export constraint and financial constraints. A sample of 30 farmers and one agent, five exporters and 10 non-exporters 20 wholesalers and 30 retailers and 120 consumers from Ernakulam and Palakkad districts were selected for the study. The study identified the major problems faced by the stakeholders of branded rice market by using Garret’s ranking method. Farmers were facing difficulties in rice production due to high input costs, high labour costs and untimely availability of water. Delay in procurement from SUPPLYCO and adequate facilities for drying and cleaning compel them to sell their produce in the open market. There was a communication gap between institutions and farmers. Lack of transportation facilities, high maintenance cost of machinery and financial difficulties were the major constraints faced by PADDICO. High transportation cost, high international trade barriers and price volatility were the major constraints faced by private manufacturers of branded rice. Heavy documentation & procedures was the major constraint faced by exporters. Lack of demand of branded rice was the major constraint faced by resellers. High price was the major constraint faced by the consumers. The high cost of production faced by farmers can be reduced by improved mechanisation in the rice cultivation. The study also recommended the suggestions for the constraints of other market stakeholders of branded rice market.

CLOUD-EDGE CONTINUUM FRAMEWORK FOR ADMISSION DATA MANAGEMENT USING DEEP LEARNING MODEL

The surge in applications necessitates a more intelligent and automated Higher Education Admission Management System (HEAMS). This research proposes a novel Deep Learning (DL)-based HEAMS utilizing a Cloud-Edge Architecture. The first step collects applicant data like transcripts, test scores, essays, and recommendations. Edge devices perform initial cleaning and preprocessing on these data to ensure quality and privacy. These preprocessed data using normalization and feature extraction using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) are then transferred to the cloud where DL models, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for essays or Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) for transcripts, are trained. These models learn complex patterns from historical labeled data (admitted/not admitted) to predict an applicant’s success probability. During application evaluation, new data are fed through the trained models on the edge, generating probabilities for predefined classifications — high-potential, moderate, or low-potential. The cloud receives these probabilities and combines them with predefined admission criteria like minimum GPA. This combined analysis leads to a final classification using Novel Lite Convolutional Neural Network with Hybrid Leader-based Optimization (Lite CNN-HLO) for each applicant — admitted, waitlisted, or rejected and admission management system by refining admission decisions for admitted, waitlisted, and rejected applicants based on institutional priorities and constraints. The system not only generates classifications but also provides detailed model score breakdowns for transparency. This Cloud-Edge HEAMS offers improved efficiency, reduced workload for admissions staff, and potentially fairer decisions by mitigating bias through data-driven analysis.

Strategy and dynamics in sub-regional governance and planning: Lessons from Eastern England 2010 to 2020

This article extends analysis of sub-regional governance dynamics, focusing on local institutions in Eastern England in the period from 2010 to 2020. Building on Third Phase Institutionalism and the growing interest in the impact of agency, the paper shows how the narratives, practices and rules of governance institutions both shape and are shaped by the varied strategic ambitions of local actors. Thus when particular objectives of ‘recognition’, ‘investment’ and ‘control’ were pursued by local actors there was a reinforcing relationship with positive narratives, collaborative practices and stable rules. Alternatively, though, institutional constraints may emphasise other strategic objectives such as preserving or advancing the power of preferred institutional structures, together with an associated limiting of narratives and practices.

Analysis of the causes of sustained economic growth in and after the late 18th century

Before the late 18th century, sustained economic growth was largely absent, but after that, the situation changed. The rarity of sustained economic growth before the late 18th century can attributed to institutional constraints on technological development and economic trade and a low-productivity equilibrium characterized by limited technological innovation and demographic pressures. After the late 18th century, the Industrial Revolution, institutional changes such as capitalism and colonialism, and demographic transitions all emerged. How these factors enabled sustained economic growth is analyzed in the essay.

Authoritarian personalism, institutional constraints, and plebiscitary rule

Authoritarian personalism, institutional constraints, and plebiscitary rule

A Comprehensive Review of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Modern Classrooms

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has become a dominant methodology in language education, emphasizing interaction and practical communication skills over traditional grammar-focused approaches. With the increasing need for language learners to develop real-world communicative competence, CLT has been widely adopted in modern classrooms across various educational contexts. However, its implementation faces challenges such as cultural differences, teacher preparedness, and institutional constraints. This comprehensive review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and challenges of CLT in contemporary language teaching settings. This study uses a systematic review methodology, analyzing research articles, case studies, and reports published in the last two decades. The review focuses on both qualitative and quantitative studies that assess CLT’s impact on language proficiency, learner motivation, and classroom engagement. It also explores barriers to successful CLT implementation, including teacher training and resource limitations. The findings suggest that CLT has a significant positive impact on learners’ communicative competence and motivation, especially in immersive environments. However, the success of CLT varies depending on the classroom context, cultural backgrounds, and teacher expertise. Moreover, while CLT fosters a more interactive learning experience, challenges such as inadequate teacher training and a lack of suitable materials often hinder its full potential. In conclusion, CLT remains an effective approach to language teaching, but its success is contingent on overcoming implementation barriers. Further research is needed to address these challenges and to explore how CLT can be adapted to different learning environments.

Legitimizing Digital Technologies in Open Innovation Ecosystems: Overcoming Adoption Barriers in Healthcare

Highly regulated industries such as healthcare can reap significant benefits from new digital technologies. However, due to institutional constraints, adopting such technologies is a slow and difficult process. Technology providers need to legitimize their underlying technologies to the customers and other stakeholders in the field. Drawing on multiple case studies in the healthcare industry, this article demonstrates how technology providers deploy two legitimizing practices: solution selling and issue selling. These activities lead to the emergence of open innovation ecosystems that help technology providers overcome adoption barriers.

Private Educational Expenditure Inequality between Migrant and Urban Households in China’s Cities

This paper studies households’ expenditure on the education of children in China’s cities to assess how internal migrant families’ investment in the human capital of their offspring differs from that of local urban families. The private education-related expenditure reflects both households’ willingness to invest in human capital and institutional constraints, as China’s household registration (hukou) system prevents children without a local city hukou from enrolling in urban public schools. In-school fees (consisting of statutory tuition and institutional tuition fees) are commonly topped-up with substantial private tutoring expenditure. We apply multiple regression to the 2008 “Rural–Urban Migration Survey in China” data to analyze the average expenditure differences between temporary migrants, permanent migrants and locals. The findings are, after controlling for social and economic characteristics, that: (1) the overall spending on education of migrant households overwhelmingly exceeds that of locals, which is expected since migrants must finance privately all education-related expenses their children incur; (2) migrant households spend more on institutional tuition fees compared to households with a local city hukou, reflecting the varying severity of administrative hurdles faced by families; and (3) temporary migrants spend more on institutional tuition fees than permanent migrant households, but less in private tutoring.

Gobierno de partidos y designación de ministros en Uruguay, 1985-2024

Objective/Context: The article analyzes the partisan nature of ministers in Uruguay (96 % of the total) during the period 1985–2024, based on the institutional and political constraints of cabinet appointments. Given that the president has moderate legislative powers, nominations are used to build majorities capable of approving government initiatives and preventing the opposition from censuring ministers in Parliament. As the political system operates based on the logic of the party government model, the article explores the consequences of its application by analyzing the behavior of the ruling party’s caucus in a sample of ministerial interpellations conducted in Parliament. Methodology: The research is a case study based on statistical analysis of original data. The main hypothesis considers four independent variables (size of the president’s legislative contingent, party cohesion, type of government, and evolution of the government period) and a series of control variables. Conclusions: The study confirms that Uruguayan presidents make strategic use of ministerial appointments, based on the assumption that the relationship between powers functions as a typical party government model, similar to that observed in parliamentary regimes. Presidents appoint high- ranking partisan ministers when they have support in Parliament and the party is strongly cohesive. They appoint mid- and low-ranking partisan ministers when the president forms coalitions and when the party is less cohesive. Finally, they prefer new or discreet partisan ministers when the president loses his coalition or during the last years of the mandate. Originality: It analyzes the appointment of ministers in Uruguay under a presidential system that, despite not having excessive legislative powers, resembles the typical party government model of parliamentary regimes.

Doing decoloniality in the context of a PhD born in precarity and pandemic

This article takes a deep dive into my doctoral journey and my lived experience as an emerging Black African scholar doing decolonial research in a South African colonial and Westernized university. I wrestle with the contradictions and tensions that emerged during this period that took place at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. I also look back with ‘willful resistance’ to the oppressive systems of knowledge productions and the limitations of doing decolonial work. I consider my own complicity with these oppressive systems of knowledge production as I attempt to work within institutional constraints to fulfil the requirements of a PhD degree. Using Black existential theory as a lens and autoethnography as method, the goal is to generate a discussion with other emerging scholars about their own lived experiences doing decolonial research in colonial universities.

Opportunities for Kazakhstan's agricultural exports to the Chinese market

This research delves into the dynamic relationship between China and Kazakhstan in the realm of agri-food trade, exploring the evolving landscape from 2012 to 2022. China, as the world's second-largest economy, commands a significant share in global agri-food imports, presenting a lucrative opportunity for Kazakhstan. Notably, China represents about 8% of the world's agri-food imports and stands as Kazakhstan's largest trading partner. In 2021, China emerged as one of the top four largest buyers of Kazakh food. This demographic shift has implications for the evolving demand in China's agri-food market and offers an avenue for Kazakhstan to tap into this growing consumer base. Despite being one of Kazakhstan's major trading partners, the country currently holds a modest share of China's agri-food market. The Kazakh government, aligning with China's "Belt and Road" initiative, aspires to double agricultural exports by 2025. Our analysis underscores the growing demand in China's agri-food market and its potential for Kazakhstan. Challenges such as technical disparities, logistical limitations, and institutional constraints are identified, necessitating collaborative solutions. The conclusion emphasizes the need for concrete actions, including technological advancements, infrastructure improvement, and standards harmonization, to enhance Kazakhstan's competitiveness in the Chinese market.

When Elections Wait: A Cross-National Analysis of Election Postponement During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the first 2 years of the coronavirus pandemic, over 150 countries had scheduled elections, but approximately half of them had to be postponed due to the pandemic. Why were some elections postponed while others were not? Despite its impact on the election calendar and democratic accountability, election postponement has received surprisingly little scholarly attention. In this study, I investigate the conditions under which elections are more likely to be delayed. Utilizing a comprehensive cross-national dataset encompassing election schedules worldwide, COVID-19-related factors, and other societal and institutional characteristics, I provide the first systematic examination of election postponement during the first 2 years of the pandemic. The empirical analysis reveals that national elections are less likely to be postponed compared to second-order elections such as subnational and special elections. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the momentum of the pandemic plays a significant role, and effective pandemic management and robust healthcare infrastructures decrease the likelihood of election postponement. On the other hand, institutional constraints have little impact. By shedding light on the factors driving election postponement, this study enhances our understanding of how crises can shape democratic processes.

Post-salafism by learning: The indigenization of globalized, exclusivist Salafism in Tunisia and Morocco

ABSTRACT Extant scholarship argues that the extent to which Salafis politicized after 2011 was a result of the relative degree of openings that followed the ‘Arab Revolutions’ – from limited reform (Morocco) to full-fledged democratization (Tunisia). Based on a comparative study of Tunisia and Morocco, this paper instead explains the emergence of a politicized, post-Salafi current in both countries in terms of a dialectical relationship between opportunities and constraints emanating from not only state institutions but also societal dynamics such as public hostility and cross-ideological socialization. We argue that although many Tunisian and Moroccan Salafis chose not to engage in institutional politics in the initial years after the uprisings, their exposure to the new democratic environment – including interactions with ideological ‘rivals’, the use of civil liberties, and mobilization in the newly liberalized public sphere – followed by the restoration of institutional and societal constraints after 2013 have given rise to a distinct post-Salafi current. While post-Salafis remain Salafis, they distance themselves from Wahhabism, claim the legacy of national religious references (Maliki Zaytunis in Tunisia, modernist Salafis in Morocco), revise their exclusivist tendencies, and recast politics from an instrumental activity to a legitimate and valuable praxis in and of itself. This constitutes a major departure from globalized, decultured, and exclusivist Salafism towards greater indigenization.

Supporting Law Student Wellbeing: Integrating Trauma-Informed Practices in Legal Education

Sensitive course content pervades all courses in a law degree and is one of many diverse and complex factors impacting law student wellbeing. This article defines sensitive course content and examines its effects through the lens of trauma, particularly vicarious and collective trauma. It explores two examples from Australian universities where trauma-informed practices were integrated into the legal curriculum. Incorporating trauma-informed practices offers numerous benefits: it supports the mental wellbeing of law students, enhances their employability and destigmatises conversations around this critical issue. However, implementing these practices in legal education faces challenges, such as the diversity of legal practices, institutional constraints and law school culture. Legal education providers must lead the way in mitigating the impacts of sensitive course content by integrating trauma-informed practices and conducting further research to support law student wellbeing.

Analysing institutional responses towards disaster risk reduction: challenges and antecedents

Globally, the frequency and magnitude of weather-related hazards poses significant challenges for governments and the private and the not-for-profit sectors. This paper provides exploratory insight into the challenges that hinder institutional responses to risk reduction. This study specifically considered public sector organisations within disaster risk reduction (DRR) organisational fields. The paper identifies 3 major constraints, which include fragmentation, difficulties in using risk information and cultural identities that affect public sector organisations and community responses. To analyse these issues, an institutional theory lens was used to explain the antecedents under which institutional actors may respond based on events and stakeholder expectations and demands. The findings suggest that challenges hindering response to risks and emergencies are strategic, institutional or operational in nature. A selection of public sector organisations response initiatives is presented within an Australian context with analysis of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2023 Priority 4. Recommendations and further research to identify and address other institutional constraints and sectors are recommended.

Boundary Spanning and Isomorphism Interactions

This study explores the relationship between isomorphism, boundary-spanning, institutional restrictions, and procedural congruence. Using fuzzy (set-theoretic) logic and concepts of causal dependence, we aim to clarify the presence of isomorphism on firms designated as protected origins and boundary-spanning. Employing fuzzy (set-theoretic) logic, we analyse the interactions between isomorphism, institutional restrictions, procedural congruence, and boundary-spanning. By investigating causal dependencies, we uncover the underlying mechanisms shaping firms’ interactions within diverse contexts. Our study reveals that isomorphism interactions can be examined through causal (counterfactual) dependence, emphasising their significance. Furthermore, causal dependence can occur without explicit causation, indicating a transitive relationship involving interactions. Isomorphism can serve as a counterexample to causal dependence, maintaining a boundary interaction between contextual factors and institutional constraints. Additionally, causal dependence involving interactions may not necessarily constrain isomorphism, suggesting an intransitive relationship. Isomorphism may also present a facade of conformity when analysed through causal (counterfactual) dependence, highlighting the complexity of these interactions. This research contributes to the literature by examining the relationship between isomorphism and institutional constraints, providing original insights into boundary-spanning and isomorphism. Moreover, our study advances understanding of causal dependence in explaining firm interactions, with implications for international business.

Partisan Politics in Greece from 1974 to the Economic Crisis and Beyond

Abstract This paper presents the main features of the Greek political landscape during the period 1974–2008 and examines whether the governing ideology of the country’s main political parties is correlated with specific fiscal and monetary policy patterns. The descriptive analysis reveals two key findings. First, the data indicates ideological differences in fiscal policy during the pre-1993 period, with PASOK governments exhibiting higher public spending and deficits, while the conservative New Democracy (ND) demonstrated greater fiscal restraint. Monetary policy during this period also appears to follow ideological differences. Second, in the post-1993 period, two trends emerged that do not seem to be ideologically driven. From 1994 to 2001, both major political parties in Greece focused on joining the Economic and Monetary Union, aligning their policies with the Maastricht Treaty. This resulted in a decrease in government expenditure and an increase in total revenue, even under the left-wing PASOK government that was in office during that period. However, after Greece joined the eurozone, external constraints such as the Stability and Growth Pact did not effectively enforce fiscal discipline. From 2001 onward, there was an increase in expansionary fiscal policies, even under the right-wing ND government, suggesting that government ideology had minimal influence on fiscal variables during this period. Greece provides an intriguing example of how partisan politics can intersect with international institutional and policy constraints. (JEL codes: H2 and H1)

The social shaping of biotechnological innovation. The case of Covid-19 protein vaccine in Cuba and the US

AbstractLike other technologies, vaccines are socially shaped by socio-economic, political and organisational factors. Property rights, value capture strategies and public innovation policies guide research teams in the biochemical design of vaccines, with inevitable consequences for their price and accessibility. The Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to analyse this institutional shaping process and its consequences for global public health from a political economy perspective. Indeed, the same type of invention, a recombinant protein vaccine, was simultaneously and originally developed in the US and Cuban biopharmaceutical industries and in the field of philanthropic Open Innovation. The article shows, through empirical research that collected direct testimony from scientists and privileged observers of the vaccine development fields, how certain norms and values characteristic of the US industry (financialization, assetization and de-risk) created a path dependency in the use of proprietary and experimental biotechnologies that made the US vaccine Nuvaxovid more expensive and complex to produce, but no more effective and safe than Abdala, Soberana 02 and Corbevax. In addition, the institutional constraints of the US biopharmaceutical industry on radical innovation, even within a mature biotechnology platform such as protein vaccines, would have resulted in a competitive disadvantage for Nuvaxovid, which was as expensive as an mRNA vaccine but less rapid to market and less reliable in delivery. The case of protein vaccines against Covid-19 thus shows how the institutional architectures of techno-scientific capitalism create not only inequalities but also inefficiencies, and that an innovation path with excellent results is possible even in competition where the market is not the dominant order of worth.

Exploring Gendered Relational Dynamics in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study on Women Professional Caregivers in India.

The gendered dynamics in palliative care settings in India are deeply influenced by societal norms, which position caregiving primarily as a woman's responsibility. This study explores the experiences of women caregivers in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, to understand their challenges and strategies. This qualitative study used a narrative approach to investigate the lived experiences of 38 women caregivers from six palliative care institutions in Bengaluru. Semi-structured interviews conducted in Kannada captured the nuances of their caregiving roles. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes related to caregiving challenges and coping mechanisms. The study reveals that women caregivers face significant burdens due to societal expectations and institutional constraints, including resource shortages and limited professional development opportunities. Despite these challenges, the women demonstrated resilience through strong social networks, spiritual practices, and effective time management. However, relying on informal support systems highlights a gap in formal institutional support. The findings emphasise the need for comprehensive support systems within palliative care institutions that address the practical and cultural challenges of caregiving. Future research should include a more diverse sample, including male caregivers, and explore the evolving nature of caregiving challenges.

When Fulfilling a Professional Obligation Causes Moral Distress: A New Evaluative Approach.

The term 'moral distress' was coined by Andrew Jameton to name the anguish that clinicians feel when they cannot pursue what they judge to be right because of institutional constraints. We argue that moral distress in critical care should also be addressed as a function of the constraints of ethics and propose an evaluative approach to the experience considering its implications for professional identity. We build on a selective review of the literature and analyze a paradigmatic example of moral distress, namely, clinicians who feel compelled to perform procedures on patients that seem futile. Such cases are commonly cited by clinicians as among the most morally distressing. Our analysis shows that (1) physicians' experiences of moral distress can stem not only from toxic workplace cultures and institutional constraints on their time and resources for patient care but also from the limits of ethical reasoning and (2) an emotion-based evaluative approach to analyzing moral distress is needed to address its hazards for professional identity. We propose a new evaluative approach to moral distress with implications for professional identity and the need for institutional education and support.