Parent Country Research Articles

Does eating behaviour among adolescents and young adults seeking obesity treatment differ depending on sex, body composition, and parental country of birth?

BackgroundAdolescents and young adults around the world experience high rates of weight gain. The underlying eating behaviours that may lead to overconsumption of energy are complex and can depend on a number of factors. The aim of this study was to explore if eating behaviour among adolescents and young adults referred to specialized obesity treatment differed depending on sex, body composition, and parental country of birth.MethodsAdolescents and young adults aged 16–25 years, referred for obesity treatment in 2018–2021 were included in the study. Eating behaviour was assessed using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, comprising domains of uncontrolled-, emotional- and cognitive restraint eating. Student’s t-test was used to compare differences in eating behaviour scores between males and females, and between those having at least one parent born in a Nordic country and those with both parents born outside the Nordic countries. Associations between BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, and eating behaviour as the dependent variable, were examined using linear regression.ResultsA total of 463 participants, mean age 21 years and mean BMI 41.3 kg/m2, were included in the analysis. Females scored statistically significantly higher than males on emotional eating (45.8 vs. 35.4, p = 0.002) and cognitive restraint eating (45.4 vs. 39.2, p = 0.009). Participants with at least one parent born in a Nordic country reported a statistically significantly lower score of uncontrolled eating (45.7 vs. 51.3, p = 0.02) compared to participants with both parents born outside the Nordic countries. Further, there were statistically significant inverse associations between cognitive restraint eating scores and BMI (β=-0.64, 95%CI: -0.97 to -0.31), waist circumference (β=-0.44, 95%CI: -0.61 to -0.27) and body fat percentage (β=-0.57, 95%CI: -1.01 to -0.14) in models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and civil status.ConclusionOur findings suggest that sex and parental country of birth may influence eating behaviours among adolescents and young adults referred for specialist obesity treatment. We also found that cognitive restraint eating decreased with increasing BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. This indicates that there may be an inverse association between the ability to restrain oneself from eating and gaining weight, however, the direction of the association must be investigated further. Increased knowledge about eating behaviours may be valuable in the clinical setting.

Adverse childhood experiences among children of parents who are refugees affected by trauma in Denmark: a register-based cohort study

Children in families who are refugees might experience more adversities than their peers. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are well known risk factors for poorer adulthood health and adjustment. The risk of ACEs for children with a parent who is a refugee affected by trauma is unknown. We aimed to estimate the hazard of individual and cumulative ACEs using a unique sample of children with parents who are refugees affected by and seeking treatment for trauma and population level data. This was a register-based cohort study carried out in Denmark. All children aged 0-15 years, residing in Denmark between Jan 1, 1990, and Dec 31, 2016, were followed up from birth or migration into the country to their 15th birthday. We linked data from the Danish Civil Registration System, the Danish National Patient Register, the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register, the Employment Classification Module, the Register of Causes of Death, and the Income Statistics Register to investigate ten ACE categories (parental: natural and unnatural death, serious mental illness, substance use disorder, somatic illness, and disability; child: residential instability, family disruption, poverty, and stressors) and the cumulative number of ACE categories for children with a parent from a refugee-sending country and children with a parent who is a refugee in treatment for trauma. The main outcome was the hazard ratio (HR) of the individual and cumulative ACEs among children with a parent from a refugee-sending country and children with a parent who is a refugee affected by trauma, compared with the general population of children in Denmark, both adjusted and unadjusted for parental country of origin. 2 688 794 children were included in the study, 252 310 of whom had parents from refugee-sending countries. 11 603 children had parents affected by trauma and seeking treatment, of whom 1163 (10%) migrated to Denmark before their second birthday and 10 440 (90%) were born in Denmark. Compared with the general population of children in Denmark, the hazard for most ACEs was significantly higher for both children with parents from a refugee-sending country and children with parents who are refugees affected by trauma. For children with a parent from a refugee-sending country, the highest HR was related to the child living in relative poverty for 3 years (3·62 [95% CI 3·52-3·73]). After adjusting for parental country of origin, the hazards for five ACEs were significantly greater for children of parents who are refugees affected by trauma compared with the remaining children of parents from the same countries. The highest HR for this child group was for parental serious mental illness (1·98 [1·85-2·12]). The hazard for experiencing multiple ACEs was significantly higher for both child groups compared with the general population. Our findings suggest that children with parents from refugee-sending countries have a higher rate of several ACEs compared with the general population. Furthermore, having a parent who is a refugee affected by trauma and seeking treatment seems to be an independent risk factor for poorer health and adjustment in adulthood. This study informs decision makers and caregivers that there might be much added value in addressing needs within the whole family, as opposed to only attending to the parent who is seeking treatment. The Lundbeck Foundation.

The European Union and Central Asia: Economic development and trade

This paper analyses EU-Central Asia trade and EU economic assistance to Central Asia. Some EU companies have had a high profile in individual countries or in energy projects (reflected in trade relations between parent and host country), but overall EU companies have lagged the higher profile of Russian companies and the increasing Chinese economic presence. Central Asia had low priority in EU external economic policies towards Soviet successor states. After 2007 the EU became more active in designing a Central Asia strategy, but funding has been limited and the impact small. A significant development for EU-Central Asian economic relations has been the expansion of Eurasian rail services. This has a firm economic foundation and, if currently important routes are disrupted by events in Russia, alternatives will be found. The paper concludes with discussion of prospects for EU-Central Asian relations with new presidents in Uzbekistan since 2016 and Kazakhstan since 2019.

Article: Revenue Effects of the Global Minimum Tax Under Pillar Two

In October 2021, 137 countries and jurisdictions agreed to implement a major reform of the international corporate tax system, i.e., a global minimum tax of 15% on the profits of large multinational companies. This article presents simulations of the revenue effects of the global minimum tax. Two possible scenarios are considered regarding who collects the minimum tax: The country in which the headquarters are located based on the income inclusion rule (IIR) or the host country of foreign affiliates as laid out under the qualified domestic minimum top-up tax (QDMTT). The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) tabulated country-by-country report (CbCR) statistics are complemented with data by Tørslov, Wier, and Zucman (2020). Based on a sample of eighty-three parent countries, it is estimated that headquarters countries could collect a total revenue of EUR 179 billion globally. The EU Member States could receive EUR 67 billion from a 15% minimum top-up tax. Carve-outs, provisions that decrease the tax base for real economic activity, reduce the potential tax revenues by approximately 14% to 22% over the entire sample. Under the current agreement, the European Union can expect a total tax revenue of EUR 55 billion yearly. The analysis accentuates how the distribution of revenues varies depending on which country has the priority to collect. Under the IIR in which the headquarters country collects the top-up tax, a country receives more revenues when it hosts more headquartered multinationals. With qualified domestic top-up taxes that give the host country of the foreign affiliate the priority to collect the top-up tax, low-tax jurisdictions that have attracted affiliates of many multinationals could be among the main beneficiaries of the reform. Static estimates that take the distribution of profits and taxes paid as given, are presented. Thereafter possible behavioural effects that may affect the estimates are discussed. International taxation, tax deficit, global minimum tax

Genetic liability to posttraumatic stress disorder and its association with postpartum depression.

Childbirth may be a traumatic experience and vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may increase the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). We investigated whether genetic vulnerability to PTSD as measured by polygenic score (PGS) increases the risk of PPD and whether a predisposition to PTSD in PPD cases exceeds that of major depressive disorder (MDD) outside the postpartum period. This case-control study included participants from the iPSYCH2015, a case-cohort of all singletons born in Denmark between 1981 and 2008. Restricting to women born between 1981 and 1997 and excluding women with a first diagnosis other than depression (N = 22 613), 333 were identified with PPD. For each PPD case, 999 representing the background population and 993 with MDD outside the postpartum were matched by calendar year at birth, cohort selection, and age. PTSD PGS was calculated from summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium with LDpred2-auto. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for parental psychiatric history and country of origin, PGS for MDD and age at first birth, and the first 10 principal components. The PTSD PGS was significantly associated with PPD (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.20-1.68 per standard deviation increase in PTSD PGS) compared to healthy female controls. Genetic PTSD vulnerability in PPD cases did not exceed that of matched female depression cases outside the postpartum period (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.94-1.30 per standard deviation increase). Genetic vulnerability to PTSD increased the risk of PPD but did not differ between PPD cases and women with depression at other times.

Городская система Волгоградской области: демографические тренды последней трети XX – начала XXI века

The steady demographic growth of Volgograd region’s urban system was recorded until the end of the Soviet period. The central role in this process belonged to migration, which in the 1970s and 1980s was primarily intraregional. The maximum growth rates in these decades were recorded in the city of Volzhskiy. Its creation contributed to the development of Volgograd agglomeration, in which more than half of the region’s population and 2/3 of its city dwellers lived in the late 1980s. Since the mid 1990s, in the dynamics of the urban system of the region began the depopulation period, characterized by a gradual increase in demographic losses. In 1989–2021, the number of urban residents decreased in the region by 3.2% (from 1962.3 thousand to 1899.2 thousand people). At the same time, the urban system of the region was distinctly divided into two parts. The Volgograd agglomeration and a number of other centers located in the south of the region retained or increased their demographic potential. All other cities showed demographic decline, and in nine of them it exceeded 10% of the population. The central positions of the Volgograd agglomeration in the urban system of the region in the post-Soviet period were strengthened due to the process of complicated parent country philosophy of regional society. The share of agglomeration residents in the total population of the region in 1989–2021 increased from 52% to 57.3%, and among its urban population it grew from 68.5% to 74.2%. In the demographic dynamics of the agglomeration itself, the outpacing growth of Volzhskiy city, which occurred both in the Soviet decades and the post-Soviet period, was clearly recorded. In the 1950s and 1980s, the accelerated industrial growth of Volzhskiy city played a central role in this process, and since the 1990s, the central role belonged to the service sector, which received maximum development within the regional agglomeration.

Association between disability status and dental attendance patterns in Australian children: A national survey.

This study investigated the dental attendance patterns of Australian children with and without disabilities using data from Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Data on 6470 participants within two groups (B cohort [aged 12-13]: n=3381; K cohort [aged 16-17]: n=3089) were used for the study. Binomial regression models were fitted to examine the association between disability status and dental attendance. The models were adjusted for gender, parent's country of birth, region of residence, highest parental education and household weekly income, and multiple imputations was used for handling missing data. Children with disabilities constituted 2.4% and 3.8% of the study sample in the B and K cohort, respectively. The unadjusted risk ratio of irregular (vs. regular) dental attendance between children with and without disabilities was 1.07 (95% CI 0.78-1.46) in the B cohort and 1.15 (95% CI 0.93-1.42) in the K cohort. After adjustment and imputation, the risk ratios were 1.03 (95% CI 0.76-1.41) and 1.10 (95% CI 0.89-1.36) in the B and K cohort, respectively. Dental attendance pattern was positively, but minimally, associated with disabilities in older children, and factors including region of residence, parental education and household income were related to disability status and dental attendance. Further studies are required to clarify the association and ascertain key factors that affect the health and wellbeing of children with disabilities.

Cross border HRM challenges of Chinese companies: An exploratory study

With the growing footmark of Chinese MNCs around the globe, the management of the host country employees has been a new challenge on the horizon. The study aims to understand the human resource management and cross-cultural practices and challenges faced by Chinese companies across the border. This cross-sectional and exploratory study used semi-structured interviews and focus groups for the data collection. The respondents were Chinese managers from Chinese companies and Chinese cultural centres working in Pakistan. This study used thematic analysis with triangulation of sources and methods. This study found culture as a key theme affecting all the emerging human resource management themes. Chinese companies working in Pakistan use informal social networks in addition to traditional applicant recruitment methods. Cultural training is common along with technical training in particularly state-owned Chinese enterprises. Although in many Chinese companies, the parent country nationals fill top positions, local employees could be seen working in the top tier management of some Chinese companies. The Chinese companies’ management practices have not been paid much attention to in this region. This study enables us to develop deep insights into Chinese companies’ human resource management practices and challenges. This research also contributes to the literature on international human resource management and cross-cultural management.

Advance care planning and the parental geographical background in pediatric palliative home care: a retrospective chart review

The relevance to acknowledge the parental migration history in pediatric palliative care is widely recognized. However, its influence on integral parts of advance care planning (ACP) is unknown. In this non-interventional cohort study, we aimed at identifying systematic differences between pediatric palliative patients with varying parental countries of origin regarding medical orders for life-sustaining treatment and the location of patients’ death. Two hundred eighty-eight pediatric cases in an ambulant pediatric palliative care setting in Germany were retrospectively analyzed using multinomial logistic regression models. Agreements on medical orders for life-sustaining treatment (MOLST) differed significantly between patients with varying parental countries of origin. Full code orders for life-sustaining treatment were made more often in Turkish families than in German families. There were no significant associations between the patients’ location of death and the parental countries of origin. However, confounder-analysis revealed a strong association between the patients’ underlying disease and the orders for life-sustaining treatment as well as the location of death.Conclusions: Even this study indicates that the parental geographical background as an important sociocultural aspect might have an impact on ACP decisions for children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions, other factors as the patients’ underlying disease can be more crucial for decision making in pediatric palliative care. The reason for the differences found might lay in cultural preferences or barriers to appropriate care. The inclusion of sociocultural aspects in decision-making is crucial to guarantee culture-sensitive, patient-centered pediatric palliative care.What is Known:• Decision making processes in pediatric palliative care are influenced by various cultural and religious norms.• So far, there is little knowledge about tangible differences with regard to end-of-life care decisions according to the geographical background of parents.What is New:• End-of-life care decisions varied significantly with the parental country of origin.• Other factors as the underlying disease may be more crucial for decision making in pediatric palliative care.

How do Central American Parents in the United States View the Importance of and Obtain Information About Behaviors Associated with the Risk of Early Childhood Obesity?

Background: Data suggest that Latinx preschool-age children are at increased risk of obesity. The fastest-growing Latinx population in the United States originates from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, also known as the Northern Triangle countries. Purpose: To describe how Central American parents from the Northern Triangle countries perceive the importance of energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), their preferred sources to obtain information about EBRBs, and to assess whether these differ by parent's gender and country of the nativity. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Results: Seventy-four parents with at least one child between 2 and 5 years of age participated in the study. More than half were immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and were classified as having low acculturation. Mothers perceived consuming >5 fruits and vegetables daily, limiting sugar-sweetened beverages consumption, and having <2 hours daily screen time as extremely important, whereas fathers perceived these behaviors as being less important. Although a higher proportion of foreign-born than US-born parents perceived most of the assessed EBRBs (4 out of 6) as extremely important, these differences were not significant. Parents reported multiple sources to obtain EBRB-related information. Direct person-to-person interactions were the most commonly preferred sources, with pediatricians being the top source (97.3%), followed by other parents (86.5%), and WIC professionals (74.3%). Pediatricians were the preferred source to obtain information about EBRBs, irrespective of parent's gender and country of the nativity. A higher proportion of US-born than foreign-born parents reported a preference to obtain EBRB-related information from other parents. Conclusions: Findings suggest the significance of understanding how Central American parents perceive the importance of EBRBs and the sources they would prefer to obtain information for their children's EBRBs. Study findings have implications for health education and obesity prevention interventions designed to reach and deliver key evidence-based child health information to Central American parents from the Northern Triangle countries in the United States.

Profit Sharing Agreement Between Eti Country and Petuanan Area In the context of Capacity Building

In Eti Village, which is located in the West Seram sub-district, West Seram Regency, there is still an agreement for marine and plantation products sharing between the Petuanan Region and the State Government of Eti Village as the parent country in the context of capacity building. This Profit Sharing Agreement is known as the ngase system and has been implemented from 1979 to 2021This study aims to identify and analyze the profit sharing agreement from the Petuanan Area to the Parent State in the context of capacity building, and also the legal consequences of the revenue sharing agreement from the Petuanan Area to the Parent State in the context of capacity building. In accordance with the problems and objectives of this research, the type of research used is sociolegal research, namely a combination research method between doctrinal law research methods and empirical legal research methods. Based on the author's study, the ngase system is a profit-sharing agreement in oral form which is applied in the Eti Country and applies as an agreement so that it has binding legal consequences.

Post-secession Sudan and South Sudan: A Comparative Study of Economic Performance, Export Diversification, and Institutions

Oil has played a determinant role in the economic development of Sudan and South Sudan before and after their separation. The introduction of oil into the Sudanese economy in 1999 has been associated with many challenges, especially those related to export diversification, and institutional quality. Oil dependency increased with the growth of oil share in total exports. Therefore, the secession of South Sudan in 2011 represents a great shock to both economies. This event creates a situation in which the new country experienced a sudden influx of oil revenues. At the same time, the parent country witnessed a sudden loss of 70% of its proven oil reserves. This makes the case of Sudan unique and provides a very rare opportunity for macroeconomists to address the impacts of this shock on both economies. This paper uses the recent secondary data of both counties to analyze and compare the impact of oil revenues transfer on Sudan and South Sudan’s economies in the post-secession period. The conclusion of this paper shows that oil loss has created incentives for better economic performance in Sudan. Reciprocally, South Sudan experiences a premature oil dependence that led to export concentration, institutional degradation, and macroeconomic instability.

Mapping sociodemographic and geographical differences in human papillomavirus non-vaccination among young girls in Sweden.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination plays a key role in the prevention of cervical cancer. Yet, disparities in HPV vaccination in Sweden have persisted. Previous research on such disparities has typically focused on singular sociodemographic variables and measures of average risk. Using a multi-categorical approach and drawing on intersectionality theory, this study aimed to provide a more precise mapping of HPV non-vaccination among girls in different sociodemographic groups and geographical areas in Sweden during 2013-2020. Using nationwide register data, we conducted a multi-categorical analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy complemented by a multilevel geographical analysis. We mapped HPV non-vaccination prevalence across 54 strata defined by parental income, education and country of birth, and urban versus rural place of residence. We also disentangled municipal and regional influences on HPV non-vaccination. HPV non-vaccination was more common in groups with a low income, a low education and an immigration background, whereas among those with an immigration background, the association between income, education and HPV non-vaccination was more complex. Geographical differences were found between municipalities. However, the discriminatory accuracy of the sociodemographic and geographical groups was weak, and 50% of the non-vaccination cases were observed in eight strata, of which some are among those with low risk. Our findings underscore the importance of universal yet tailored approaches, including providing adequate information about HPV vaccination in Swedish and other languages, and of health-care professionals displaying sensitivity to patients' and parents' questions or needs.

Disentangling the roles of generational status and acculturation on dietary behaviors in disaggregated Asian American subgroups

IntroductionLittle is known on the independent effects of generational status and acculturation on the consumption of specific foods among disaggregated Asian American (AA) populations. This study explores the associations of generational status and acculturation with dietary behaviors of a nationwide non-probability sample of 3018 AAs (57.6% East Asian American (EAA), 18.9% South Asian American (SAA), 19.4% Southeast Asian American (SEAA)). MethodsRecruited participants completed an online dietary survey designed and adapted for AAs to assess a range of diet and food purchasing behaviors. Generational status was assessed through participant and parental country of birth (1st-Gen, 2nd-Gen, 3rd-Gen); the Marin Short Acculturation Scale was adapted to measure acculturation. Linear regression models assessed the association of generational status and acculturation with consumption of 11 food/nutrient groups, adjusted for socio-economic variables. ResultsCompared to estimated US averages, participants reported lower fruit, dairy, and seafood intake yet lower red and processed meat, and higher whole grain, calcium, and fiber intake. Compared to EAA, SAA reported higher dairy (1.72 vs. 1.46 cups/day) and calcium (1029 vs. 954 mg/day) intakes, while SEAA reported lower vegetable intake (1.66 vs. 1.78 cups/day). In adjusted analyses, processed meat intake was higher among 2nd-Gen and 3rd-Gen vs.1st-Gen (+0.029 times/day; +0.061 times/day) participants. Higher acculturation was associated with lower vegetable, fiber, and seafood intake (−0.005 cups/day; −0.02 g/day; −0.002 times/day). ConclusionGreater attention to the role of generational status and acculturation in AA dietary behaviors is needed, and findings call for further research to understand the mechanisms behind the dietary influence of different socialization and acculturative processes.

Where are you from The influence of an unfamiliar sub-national region of origin from familiar and unfamiliar countries on quality perceptions and purchase intentions

This paper examines how consumer quality perceptions and purchase intentions are influenced by country of origin level, specifically for an unfamiliar region of origin (ROO) and by parent country familiarity. We conducted an experiment among Norwegian consumers testing products from Germany (familiar) or Bulgaria (unfamiliar) versus unfamiliar sub-national regions in these two countries. We found that a strategy to help overcome initial negative reactions for products from unfamiliar countries, specifically among younger consumers, may be to add the unfamiliar sub-national region to the product information. However, simply labelling a product with an unfamiliar sub-national region when the product comes from a familiar country is inadvisable. To our knowledge, no previous research has used a trivial COO attribute, (i.e., unfamiliar sub-national region) to influence perceptions for products from unfamiliar countries. The current research finds communication of an unfamiliar ROO can influence quality perceptions and purchase intentions in a foreign market entry.

Default in The Profit Sharing Agreement Between the State Government and Petuanan Areas

In Eti Village, which is located in West Seram District, West Seram Regency, an agreement for marine and plantation products sharing is still being carried out between the Petuanan Region and the Eti Village Government as the parent country. The petuanan area or territory is a village or hamlet that is in the territory of the customary village. The agreement for the sharing of marine products and plantations between the Petuanan area and the State Government of Eti Village was agreed to share the profits of marine products and plantations by 40% which would belong to the Eti State Government and 60% to belong to the Petuanan area. This agreement for marine products and plantations is made based on the ngase system. The Ngase system is a form of cooperation between land owners and workers which is carried out at harvest time. However, in practice, this agreement for marine and plantation products does not go according to what has been agreed. The parent country does not get the pre-agreed profit sharing. Petuanan countries do not carry out their obligations to the detriment of the parent country. This study aims to determine the consequences of default in this profit-sharing agreement as well as to examine the settlement of disputes between the Eti Government and the Petuanan area. The type of research used is sociolegal research, which is a combination research method between doctrinal law research methods and empirical legal research methods. The accountability carried out by the petuanan area is the fulfillment of achievements. Settlement of disputes between the petuanan area and the government of Negeri Eti is through non-litigation and litigation channels.

The Call of the Faithful: The Integration of Spiritual and Social Work Practice in the Time of COVID-19

This has been a season of change worldwide. It has become virtually impossible to ignore distressing news about the state of our world. COVID-19 has changed the way we live, work, how we think, and even how we grieve. Every day, Americans are bombarded with reports of rising death tolls, massive unemployment, economic turmoil, and dismal foreseeable predictions. This health crisis has put an enormous amount of pressure on the global community, and this is especially true for our clients who are new immigrants. This pressure has manifested in mental health challenges. Social workers have reported that for many clients the uncertainty and pressure are becoming too much to handle. Typically, clients are experiencing anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and in some cases interpersonal violence (Brodhead, 2020; Endale et al. 2020; Saltzman et al.,2020). Now imagine the impact on unaccompanied minors arriving at our borders. Prior to the pandemic, the unaccompanied children were dealing with three crises simultaneously: 1) parental and home country separation; 2) trauma from a harsh journey; and 3) language barrier and cultural shock. These issues alone are overwhelming and cause powerful emotions such as anxiety in these children. So how can these emotions be managed, coupled with the dangers of COVID-19? How can social workers provide comfort and support when they may be experiencing the same emotions? This article brings this hidden reality into the public view and enrich the existing social work body of knowledge by demonstrating the restorative power of faith, spirituality, and self-care.

A cross-cultural study of the effect of parental bonding on the perception and response to criticism in Singapore, Italy and USA.

Parents play a primary and crucial role in emotional socialisation processes in children where individuals learn the expression, understanding and regulation of emotions. Parenting practices and dimensions of the parent-child relationship have been associated with social and emotional processes in children. As criticism involves negative emotional reactions and emotion regulation, the parent-child relationship is likely to influence an individual's perception and response to criticism. Hence, the present study investigated the relationship of parental bonding and the perception and response to criticism in three different countries-Singapore, Italy and USA. Adult participants (n = 444) completed the Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) and measures of criticism. Parental care, overprotection and country were found to be significant predictors of a tendency to perceive criticism as destructive. Higher levels of parental care predicted a lower tendency to perceive criticism as destructive while higher levels of parental overprotection predicted a higher tendency to perceive criticism as destructive. US American participants were found to have a significantly higher tendency to perceive criticism as destructive compared to Italian and Singaporean participants. The findings align with past research on the role of the parent-child relationship in the socio-emotional development of children as well as providing insight into a specific aspect in social interaction; perception and response to criticism, being affected. Future studies can look to investigate this relationship further in different countries in light of cultural variation in parenting styles and emotion experience, expression and regulation.

The international propagation of economic downturns through multinational companies: The real economy channel

We study how non-financial multinational companies propagate economic declines from their subsidiaries located in countries experiencing an economic downturn to subsidiaries in countries not experiencing one. We find that investment is 18% lower in subsidiaries of these parents relative to the same-industry, same-country subsidiaries of parents that are headquartered in the same parent country but do not have a subsidiary in a country experiencing an economic downturn. The employment growth rate in the affected subsidiaries is zero or negative while it is 1.4% in the subsidiaries of unaffected parents. The aggregate industry-level sales and employment are also negatively impacted in the countries of the affected subsidiaries.

Language and identity in the shadow: A multi-case study of a Japanese multinational corporation

This paper explores how different organizational identities can be constructed by the use of multiple languages within a multinational corporation’s (MNC) subsidiaries. Scholars are increasingly interested in the importance of language in international business but little is currently known about how identities interact with language across an MNC’s subsidiaries. Applying language and social identity theory, this paper analyses the interactions between organizational identity and the use of multiple languages within the lines of communication in the Thai, Taiwanese and US subsidiaries of a Japanese MNC, focusing especially on communications with customers and headquarters. The findings reveal the range of uses of different languages in the lines of communication and the attendant sharing and shaping of social identities in each subsidiary, thus highlighting the importance of the contexts of subsidiaries. In addition, in a sharp contrast to the approach to linguistic identity assumed in the current literature, the findings reveal how national identity can be sustained independently of the use of language. Moreover, the findings also reveal that perceived identity is influenced not only by actors’ language abilities and ethnicity, but also by their post-colonial views on both parent and host countries, and how this underpins shadow organizational structures.