Local Partners Research Articles

Exploring the resilience of Pasifika peoples to a global disruption by developing meaningful relationships with local research partners in the Kingdom of Tonga and the Cook Islands: the heart of my doctoral research journey.

Exploring the resilience of Pasifika peoples to a global disruption by developing meaningful relationships with local research partners in the Kingdom of Tonga and the Cook Islands: the heart of my doctoral research journey.

Investment Opportunities in Uganda's Real Estate Market

Uganda's real estate market presents lucrative opportunities for investors driven by rapid urbanization, economic growth, and favorable government policies. Key urban centers like Kampala, Entebbe, and Mbarara are experiencing significant development, and increasing demand for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. This growth is bolstered by a steady rise in GDP, enhanced infrastructure, and increased foreign direct investment. However, investors must navigate challenges such as regulatory complexities, land ownership issues, economic volatility, and infrastructure deficiencies. Successful investment strategies include thorough market research, due diligence, strategic location choices, local partnerships, and sustainable practices. With careful planning, investors can capitalize on Uganda's dynamic real estate market and contribute to its ongoing development. Keywords: Urbanization, Economic Growth, Investment Opportunities, Real Estate Market, Infrastructure Development

Improving Public Health Emergency Communication Along the U.S. Southern Border: Insights From a COVID-19 Pilot Campaign With Truck Drivers.

Tens of thousands of trucks cross the U.S.-Mexico border every day. Cross-border truckers' high mobility puts them at risk of acquiring and transmitting infectious diseases and creates challenges reaching them with emergency public health messaging due to their everchanging locations and limited English proficiency. Despite this community-level transmission risk and documented health disparities related to various infectious and noninfectious diseases experienced by truckers themselves, little has been published to provide practical recommendations on better reaching this audience through innovative outreach methods. This article describes a COVID-19 health promotion campaign that aimed to (1) identify, pilot test, and evaluate effective messages, channels, sources, and settings for reaching truckers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border and (2) build capacity and sustainability for messaging around future health emergencies. The pilot program ran for 6 weeks, June to August 2023, in three key commercial border crossings and delivered approximately 50,000,000 impressions, nearly 45% more impressions than expected. Considerations for practitioners include the areas of design, implementation, and evaluation. The results provide insight into how to design health promotion messages that resonate with cross-border truckers and how to place these messages where they will be seen, heard, and understood. This includes working effectively with community health workers (CHW), known locally as promotores; identifying local partners that allow CHW to set up onsite; and, working with partner organizations including employers. Practical insights for building evaluation metrics into traditional and grassroots outreach strategies to facilitate real-time optimization as well as continued learning across efforts are also described.

Integrated care systems in England: the significance of collaborative community assets in promoting and sustaining health and wellbeing.

Until recently the healthcare system in England was based on a commissioning/provider model. However, this has been replaced with an Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) approach, aimed at improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities through local collaborative partnerships with public sector organizations, community groups, social enterprise organizations and other local agencies. Part of this new approach is an emphasis on the role of community assets (i.e., local resources), that are considered integral to promoting positive health and wellbeing outcomes. This paper presents research from a series of three research studies on "community assets" conducted in the East of England within a newly established ICS. Based on analysis of qualitative data highlighting the lived experience of community asset members, this paper shows the positive wellbeing impact on vulnerable community members that assets provide. Further insight on the local impact and the collaborative nature of the research is provided suggesting that new asset-based approaches recognize the social determinants of health. This presents a shift away from positivistic linear approaches to population health and wellbeing to a new non-linear collaborative approach to addressing health inequalities and promoting wellbeing. The authors suggest that exploring this through a complexity theory lens could illuminate this further. Finally, the authors warn that while community assets have an important role to play in empowering citizens and providing much needed support to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, they are not a substitute for functioning funded public sector services that are currently being undermined by ongoing local governments funding cuts. As such, while community assets can help ameliorate some of the negative effects people experience due to economic, structural and health disadvantages, only a more fair and more equal distribution of resources can address growing health inequalities.

One Health policy for combatting African trypanocide resistance

The rise of African trypanocide resistance (ATr) is influenced by various factors such as evolutionary changes in the pathogen, the presence of resistance genes in the population, poor policy decisions, limited private-public partnerships to engage local communities, and insufficient funding for the development of new drugs over the past sixty years. These challenges have been exacerbated by the inadequate implementation of drug liberalization policies in the mid 20th century, leading to poor pharmacovigilance practices for veterinary drugs in low and middle income countries (LMICs). One health (OH), a disease management framework, provides practical solutions for addressing ATr, drawing on its success in managing previous epidemics like avian influenza in 2004 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, where institutional collaborations were rapidly established. To combat ATr, OH initiatives involving both international and local partners at the policy and grassroots levels are crucial to generate community interest. The importance of political commitment, media involvement, and nongovernmental organizations cannot be overstated, as they are essential for resource mobilization and long-term sustainability in LMICs.

ILead with an EDI Lens

ABSTRACT This conceptual paper introduces the joint San José State University, School of Information and Simmons University, School of Library and Information Science, IMLS grant planning project: iLead: Preparing Tomorrow’s Library Leaders. During 2023–24, the grant team project members are designing an asynchronous online program where library employees may earn micro-credentials. The online program focuses on developing leadership skills with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. Contributions from national, state, and local library partners during the development of this curriculum will assist in applying for a future IMLS implementation grant. For more information on iLead: https://www.ileadedi.org/.

Enhancing food access in a comprehensive cancer center area of influence through local partner capacity building.

Food insecurity, an economic and social condition of limited food access, is associated with poor diet quality-a risk factor for several common cancers. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center supports healthy food access through community-led evidence translation by actively partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs). These partnerships aim to enhance the capacity of food assistance CBOs to effectively implement evidence-based food insecurity mitigation programs in the cancer center's area of influence. This case study aims to describe the cancer center's model for local food access capacity building and detail operationalization in the context of a whole-community cancer prevention effort (Be Well Baytown) in Baytown, Texas. Elements central to the capacity building model include (i) assessment of baseline needs and capacity, (ii) empowering a community champion within a relevant CBO, (iii) mapping inter-sectoral community partnerships, collaborations, and linkages, and (iv) leveraging systems, connections, and resources to provide an enabling environment for overall food access systems growth. Through this process, Be Well Baytown enhanced the capacity of a local food pantry leading to increases in total reach, pounds of food distributed, and number of food distribution events in collaboration with intersectoral partners from 2018 to 2023. This case study highlights the model's implementation as a co-benefit community partnership strategy to maximize the impact of food security programs integrated with comprehensive cancer center prevention efforts.

The Limits of Local Power: Business, Political Conflict, and Coastal Reclamation Projects in Makassar, Indonesia

Since the fall of Indonesia's Suharto regime in 1998, politics in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, has been characterised by a competitive form of elite domination. Major political families, most with roots in the ruling elite of the Suharto period, have captured power and used it to further their economic interests while engaging in bitter intra-elite feuds. Through studies of three large-scale coastal reclamation projects, the study reveals patterns of interaction between political elites and business groups in the province. Successive mayors and governors have sponsored rival reclamation projects, directing tenders toward favoured business partners and sidelining allies of rivals. Yet these projects also reveal the limits of power of local politicians: while they support favoured local partners, none has been able to sideline large national conglomerates involved in these projects. Instead, big investors are more or less immune to local political change.

Challenges and Opportunities for Participatory Evaluation of Local Public Health Efforts to Address Structural Racism and Advance Health Equity

This report describes the process of conducting a participatory evaluation of a local public health department and community partners’ joint efforts to address structural racism and advance health equity in Chicago, Illinois. The participatory evaluation is guided by a multi-partner advisory group composed of academic researchers and research assistants at a local public university; leadership and frontline staff at the local public health department; and individuals employed through local community-based organizations. This report details three key action points in the participatory evaluation process, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that arise while evaluating health equity interventions aimed at institutional and structural change. Insights gleaned from this process can inform ongoing and future participatory evaluation efforts and contribute to the establishment of best practices for partnering across institutions to reshape systems and power relationships to advance health equity.

Double standards? The adverse impact of chairperson hometown ties on corporate green innovation

Using a sample of Chinese firms from 2000 to 2018, we document that hometown firms (firms with hometown chairpersons) engage in less green innovation than non-hometown firms. Evidence suggests that local stakeholders offer hometown chairpersons more protection from environmental consequences than non-hometown chairpersons. We identify two possible mechanisms: government patronage and accommodation by local supply chain partners. Furthermore, we find that the double standards are alleviated with insignificant difference in corporate green innovation when non-hometown chairpersons marry hometown spouses or build local political relationships. Additional analyses suggest that (1) the double standards drive hometown firms to emit more pollutants than non-hometown firms, (2) when a firm is under government scrutiny for environmental issues, located in the city with severe air pollution, or in heavily polluting industries, the adverse effect of a chairperson's hometown on green innovation is minimal, and (3) our findings on green innovation also extend to a decrease in the number of pollutant treatment facilities and treatment capacity in a firm.

Institutional contamination produced by student waste at the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE Latacunga campus during the may-september 2023 semester

Institutional contamination by student waste at the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sede Latacunga, is of concern due to lack of environmental awareness, inadequate infrastructure and clear recycling policies. The research reveals a strong awareness among students about the importance of separating waste and recycling, although there are challenges in infrastructure and policies. Students perceive recycling as beneficial for the environment and health. Most support the implementation of recycling and waste separation systems. The need for adequate containers and awareness campaigns is highlighted. Health risks associated with hazardous waste are identified. The university should lead changes towards more sustainable practices, promoting recycling infrastructure, waste reduction and local partnerships. Continuous monitoring and evaluation, increased student participation, and clear policies and environmental education programs are recommended

Using Technology to Improve the Mental Capacity Assessment and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Process.

The process of mental capacity act (MCA) assessment and depravation of liberty safeguarding (DoLS) was identified as an area for improvement. The project aimed to ensure that patients admitted to hospital for care and treatment were appropriately assessed if there is doubt about their mental capacity and that the subsequent legal process of DoLS is followed as needed. The project group sought to address this issue using clinical informatics through the electronic health record and data reports to re-design the process. User involvement was key to ensure the process and key pieces of documentation were designed to be easy for staff to use with responsibilities clearly defined. The importance of operational staff having good visibility of the end-to-end process was key to allow staff to identify and address any gaps in the process in real time without the need for escalation by the safeguarding team. A robust data report further supports the safeguarding team to effectively manage this group of vulnerable patients. The project has significantly increased appropriately the number of MCA assessments undertaken and subsequent DoLS applications submitted to local authority partners.

Political uncertainty and revenue sharing in international contracting

This study investigates a critical source of political uncertainty for foreign investors in a centralised political system: leadership turnover within local governments. Our stylised model suggests that risk-averse foreign investors, faced with this uncertainty, tend to offer a larger revenue share to their local partners in international joint ventures (IJVs). This incentivises local officials to provide the necessary authorisations and public inputs for IJVs. Using a unique Chinese dataset that links city-level leadership changes with firm-level incentive structures, our empirical analysis provides robust evidence supporting this framework.

Strategic Optimization of Conveyor Belt Splicing Solutions: Enhancing Competitive Edge in the Asia-Pacific Market (Case Study: Inspirare Luxiner Group)

The Asia-Pacific region, marked by rapid industrial growth and significant mining activities, offers both opportunities and challenges for companies in the conveyor belt splicing materials market. IL Group, known for its high-quality RARE System, has seen a decline in sales within this competitive environment. The centralization of manufacturing in Atlanta has led to long lead times and high logistics costs, reducing the company’s competitiveness. Moreover, insufficient after-sales support and integration challenges with client systems have further decreased customer satisfaction and retention. This research aims to identify the primary factors behind the RARE System’s decreased sales and to develop strategies for optimizing it to attract and retain clients. Additionally, it seeks to recommend business strategies to enhance IL Group’s competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific market. Data collection involved interviews and surveys with clients and internal stakeholders. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, root cause analysis, SWOT & TOWS analysis, and Porter’s Five Forces framework. The study found that logistical challenges from centralized manufacturing, inadequate support, intense competition, and integration issues with client systems were key factors driving sales declines. To address these issues, the research recommends that IL Group establish regional manufacturing facilities to reduce costs and lead times. Improving customer support through regional centers and robust CRM systems is also essential. Investing in continuous R&D for product innovation will keep the product relevant and appealing. Implementing flexible pricing models and targeted marketing, along with forming strategic local partnerships, will further enhance competitiveness. By proposing these strategies, this research contributes to strategic business management. It offers practical solutions to enhance operational efficiency and market competitiveness. These strategies provide a structured approach to overcoming key challenges and achieving sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific market.

Understanding student perception and identification in cobranded UK HEIs based on consumer-company identification theory

ABSTRACT This study explores student perception and identification with cobranded HEIs in the UK. Due to the success of many international partnerships, domestic academic partnerships have increased tremendously in the UK. However, little is known about student perception and identification with cobranded HEIs in local academic partnerships such as in the UK. Semi-structured interviews are conducted to explore student perception of cobranded HEIs in the UK. Thematic analysis using QSR NVivo 12 is employed. Findings indicate factors that determine students’ relationship with cobranded HEIs in the UK. Interview findings were shared with five academic experts to subjectively validate them for future empirical investigations. Theoretically, the study contributes to cobranding in higher education and corporate branding literature by showcasing the factors that influence students’ decision to enrol in cobranded HEIs. Based on identified factors, academic managers can devise a marketing strategy to achieve competitive advantage, increase student recruitment and retain existing students.

The San Francisco Health Systems Collaborative: Public Health and Health Care Delivery Systems’ Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic challenged health care delivery systems worldwide. Many acute care hospitals in communities that experienced surges in cases and hospitalizations had to make decisions such as rationing scarce resources. Hospitals serving low-income communities, communities of color, and those in other historically marginalized or vulnerable groups reported the greatest operational impacts of surges. However, cross-institutional collaborations within jurisdictions offer unique opportunities to prevent or mitigate health disparities in resource utilization and access to care. In January 2020, in response to the emerging coronavirus epidemic, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and local hospital and health systems partners convened to align and coordinate medical surge planning and response. Adopting a governance structure of mutual accountability and transparency, the San Francisco Health Systems Collaborative guided local medical and public health response in the areas of medical surge, vaccination administration, testing, and therapeutics. Four principles guided the collaborative response: (1) shared priorities, (2) clear governance and accountability, (3) data transparency, and (4) operational coordination. High-level priorities established included protecting vulnerable people, protecting health care workers, and maintaining health system capacity. The governance structure consisted of three layers: local hospital and health systems’ CEOs coordinating with SFDPH executives; hospital chief medical and nursing officers coordinating high-level surge capacity assessments and mitigation plans; and local clinical operational managers working with public health response operational leaders to coordinate scarce resource utilization. Fluctuating with the tempo of the disease indicators and medical surge, governance and coordination were maintained through a tiered meeting and reporting system. Data visibility and transparency were key principles facilitating operational decision-making and executive-level coordination of resources, including identifying additional surge bed capacity for use systemwide, as well as ensuring efficient and equitable vaccine distribution through implementation of five mass-vaccination sites with prioritized access for vulnerable communities. Applying these four principles of shared priorities, accountability, transparency, and operational coordination and pragmatism helped the public health and individual hospital systems make contributions to the overall response that were aligned with their unique strengths and resources. Publication here represents the first official public use of the name San Francisco Health Systems Collaborative (which had served as the term used internally to refer to the group) and the first time codifying this structure. Through this coordination, San Francisco achieved one of the lowest Covid-19 death rates and had one of the highest vaccination and booster rates, compared with rates across California or the United States. Similar principles and implementation methods can be adopted by other health jurisdictions for future emergency outbreak response.

Global Supply Chain Management and The Performance of Multi-National Companies in Rivers State of Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between global supply chain management and the performance of multi-national companies in rivers state of Nigeria. This study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study consisted of 10 multinational companies operating in Rivers State as retrieved from Nigerian business directory search engine. The study adopted a census study, 3 respondents were selected from each firm multiplied by 10 firms give us a total of 30 respondents. Structured questionnaire instrument title” Global supply chain management and performance questionnaire was developed on five point likert scale. The result of the Cronbach's Alpha reliability test indicates .800 which is above .70 which implies that the items are reliable. Pearson product moment correlation was used to test the hypotheses using SPSS (statistical package social sciences). The study revealed that there is a significance relationship between global sourcing and profitability of multi-national companies in Rivers State of Nigeria. There is a significance relationship between outsourcing and operational7process efficiency of multi-national companies in Rivers State of Nigeria. There is a significance relationship between global production and distribution and customer satisfaction of multi-national companies in Rivers State of Nigeria. In conclusion, global supply chain management is a critical aspect of business operations for multi-national companies in Rivers State of Nigeria. By investing in infrastructure, building strong relationships with local partners, implementing effective communication and coordination processes, and utilizing technology, MNCs can improve the performance of their supply chains and gain a competitive advantage in the region. The study recommended that MNCs should consider investing in the development of infrastructure in Rivers State, including transportation and logistics systems, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their supply chains.

Typologising the corporatisation of parent roles in the ‘modern’ governance of Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) in subordinated communities

ABSTRACT This article develops and explores a typology illuminating the types of parent roles in the governance of Multi-Academy Trusts in the corporatised field of school governance and leadership. Policy has positioned parents as objects of managerialist and corporatised practice. This article draws on data generated through observations and interviews with corporate actors and parents from three multi-academy trusts. Such a typology seeks to describe and illuminate how policy and practice entanglements have constructed parent role types as supporters, providers, monitors, local civic knowledge experts, mediators and partners. Thinking with Bourdieu’s concepts of field and capital, I explore how these types support the governance of trusts in the delivery of public accountabilities and management of risk. I make two contributions. Firstly, I provide a typology that can be used to describe and illuminate parent role types constructed in a corporatised field. Secondly, by exploring the typology through the corporatised practices of accountability and risk management, parents are revealed as enablers and products of corporate activity, with role types positioned hierarchically in the field, in dominated positions. This study challenges the homogenisation of the consumer parent relationship with governance as these types are constructed as products and enablers in corporate activity.

The role of intermediaries in connecting individuals to local physical activity – protocol for a pilot feasibility trial

BackgroundIntermediaries are health-related workers who facilitate connections to local physical activities. Intermediaries deliver interventions by receiving referrals, conducting assessments, connecting referred individuals to activities and/or services in the community, and following up with them over time. However, it is unclear whether individuals who are referred to physical activities by an intermediary improve their physical activity levels, and what their perspectives and experiences are of participating in this intervention. To date there has been a lack of studies investigating the effect of this intervention on physical activity using appropriate outcome measures. MethodsThis will be a mixed methods pilot feasibility study. Participants will be individuals referred or self-referred to an intermediary and connected to local physical activities. Participants will be recruited through two types of intermediary services in Ireland; social prescribing and local sports partnerships. A total of 30 participants will be recruited (15 per service). Baseline demographic information will be taken upon enrolment to the study and three questionnaires will be completed: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form, Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale and Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. The questionnaires will be repeated after 12 weeks and in addition semi-structured interviews will be carried out to explore intervention content and delivery, as well as acceptability of the intervention and evaluation design. DiscussionThis overall aim of this proposed study is to investigate the feasibility of an intervention delivered by an intermediary to improve physical activity and health-related outcomes of community-dwelling individuals. RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06260995).

Geographies of Knowledge Sourcing and the Complexity of Knowledge in Multilocational Firms

The rise of the knowledge economy has placed innovation at the center of models of competitive advantage. Access to more valuable forms of knowledge remains contested as the geography of its production is uneven and as some knowledge assets are relatively immobile. Within this fractured knowledge landscape multilocational firms have clear advantages. They can exploit numerous localized pools of knowledge, they can shape the character of knowledge development in different places, and they have some control over who can tap local knowledge assets. Surprisingly, we still have little detailed knowledge of the technologies developed by multilocational firms across the sites where they are active. We augment the literature on multiunit firms on three fronts. First, we make use of the rich, technological information in patent data to show that multilocational firms operating research and development (R&D) units across US metropolitan areas produce different kinds of technological knowledge over space. Second, we provide quantitative evidence of geographic knowledge sourcing by linking the technologies produced within the R&D units of these firms to the knowledge stocks generated within the cities where they are located. Third, we report that as the number of R&D units within multilocational firms increase, so, up to a limit, the complexity of the knowledge those firms generate also increases. We show that these complexity gains are linked to the volume of knowledge sourced from local partners and to the integration of knowledge across units of the multilocational firm.