Croatian Regional Policy Fostering Competitiveness

An obstacle for the implementation of a modern regional policy in Croatia is the inherited concept of the reconstruction of war-affected areas. This concept is no longer appropriate for the needs of a modern regional policy, which should be formulated, among others, also in the context of the EU accession. This is particularly important considering that the EU emphasizes that member states should be in the position to withstand competitive pressures in the single market as a key condition for accession. And regional policy has a particular role in this regard. In this article the main obstacles for a modern regional policy in Croatia are discussed, particularly from the point of view of achieving economic competitiveness. It is necessary to tackle these problems and obstacles through a number of measures and initiatives from both the central and the regional level, which are discussed in this paper.     

Matching estimators and optimal bandwidth choice

Optimal bandwidth choice for matching estimators and their finite sample properties are examined. An approximation to their MSE is derived, as a basis for a plug-in bandwidth selector. In small samples, this approximation is not very accurate, though. Alternatively, conventional cross-validation bandwidth selection is considered and performs rather well in simulation studies: Compared to standard pair-matching, kernel and ridge matching achieve reductions in MSE of about 25 to 40%. Local linear matching and weighting perform poorly. Furthermore, the scope for developing better bandwidth selectors seems to be limited for ridge matching, but non-negligible for kernel and local linear matching.     

Social capital in the field of power: the case of Norway

This paper analyses social capital structures in the field of power, based on data from the Norwegian Power and Democracy Survey on elites. Separating between objectified, institutionalised, embodied, and inherited social capital, and inspired by Bourdieu's approach, we analyse the relations between social capital and the other forms of capital by way of specific multiple correspondence analysis and ascending hierarchical cluster analysis. First, we find that the level of institutionalised social capital varies from one fraction of the Norwegian elite to another. Secondly, the range of networks established through previous work experiences is related to field seniority. Thirdly, the positions of highest endogamy are situated in the religious field, and to a lesser extent, in the scientific field, and in the juridical field. Finally, the ‘core of the core’ is defined by actors who are strongly interconnected inside what is called ‘the tripartite system’, with a high level of multipositionality and intersectorial connections.     

Vital tasks and roles of frontline workers facilitating job inclusion of vulnerable youth

Researchers and others are worried about the marginalization of vulnerable youth who drop out of school and work. Frontline workers are key support givers for vulnerable youth, but they have been described as professionals who lack a recognized body of knowledge they can rely on. This article investigates vital frontline roles and tasks related to job inclusion of vulnerable youth. Qualitative data are drawn from 16 Norwegian pilot projects aimed at developing social work approaches among vulnerable youth. The challenges and the support provided resemble those in other European countries. Cross-case analysis suggests four main support roles: (1) administration and securing of basic needs, (2) connection and relationship building, (3) job enabling, and (4) job customisation. Combining roles 1 and 2 with roles 3 or 4 seems to improve the outcomes, meaning that they improve the capabilities of vulnerable youth to find and master a job when that is something they have reason to value. Since this topic has been little explored for vulnerable youth, this article contributes to further developing job inclusion support for this target group in particular.     

Cross-border partnership – the impact of institutions on creating the borderland communities (the case of Spree-Neisse-Bober Euroregion)

The aim of the paper is to present the cooperation nets generated as a result of the operation of an organization of a cross-border scope and impact, and such is the Spree-Neisse-Bober Euroregion, and to evaluate and assess their role in creating the bonds among the inhabitants. The main research area is the role that the SNBE plays in creating social connections. The authoresses will pay close attention to: the characteristics of Polish-German relations in the borderland; existing social networks within the frames of created partnerships, and the role of the Euroregion as an institution fostering the development of transborder community. The analysis presented here is the result of the research project “Trust beyond Borders. Sprewa-Nysa-Bóbr Euroregion in Perspective of Integrating Processes in Polish-German Borderland”. Conducted in 2013, it used content analysis, survey (800 respondents) and unstructured interviews (70 experts from Poland and Germany) methods.     

Mild Intellectual Disability Associated with a Progeny of Father-Daughter Incest: Genetic and Environmental Considerations

We report the case of a 34-year-old female resulting from a father-daughter sexual abuse and presenting a phenotype of mild intellectual disability with minor dysmorphic features. Karyotyping showed a normal 46, XX constitution. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) revealed a heterozygote 320kb 6p22.3 microdeletion in the proband, encompassing only one known gene, and therefore unlikely to be the cause of the phenotype. However, the role of other genetic factors, such as a recessive condition, could not be ruled out as a putative cause for the phenotype. On the other hand, the role played by a heavily detrimental familial situation on the development and outcome, and possibly leading or contributing to a mild intellectual disability, should be taken into account.     

Modernization,neo-liberal globalization,or variegated development: the Indian food system transformation in comparative perspective

This paper discusses the question of when generalizations risk compromising the utility and accuracy of a theory and seeks to show how a balance can be struck between generalized and context-specific analyses in disciplines like international sociology, political economy, and comparative politics. For this purpose, the paper reviews three theoretical approaches to agri-food system change, placed at different levels on the ladder of generality. It then considers these approaches in relation to India's changing agri-food system. Finally, the paper discusses the general and the particularistic features of the Indian case and examines their implications for theories relating to global governance and international political economy.     

Sharing Meals With Institutionalized People With Dementia: A Natural Experiment

Nutritional deficiency can have dramatic effects on the physical and psychological status of older adults. Although food supplements can enhance nutritional status, several authors suggest that more ecological means could also have beneficial impacts. Therefore, a natural experiment was conducted to study the impact of changed mealtime experiences for people with Alzheimer-type dementia. Two special care units (in separate facilities) in France were included in this study: one implemented shared mealtimes between residents and caregivers and the other served as a comparison group. Weight was measured and staff observations were collected. Positive outcomes were observed for the experimental group. Implications for practice are discussed.     

How Does Centrality in Coopetition Networks Matter? An Empirical Investigation in the Mobile Telephone Industry

This research examines how a firm's position in a coopetitive network (formed through cooperation among firms within an industry) influences the extent of the firm's competitive aggressiveness and market performance. The authors collected data on the competitive and cooperative actions of firms in the mobile telephone industry from 2000 to 2006, using structured content analysis of news reports. The results show that the centrality of a firm in a coopetitive network contributes to the firm's competitive aggressiveness through increased volume and variety of competitive actions. Further, the more central a firm is in the network, the greater is its market performance. Firms that undertake more volume and variety of competitive actions improve their market performance. Overall, these results show that being in a central position in a coopetition network is quite advantageous for the firm.