Mobility and the middle classes: a case study of Manchester and the North West

While much is known about the mobility patterns of the middle classes in London and the South East, far less is certain about middle‐class migration patterns in other regions of the country. Nor has the importance of other regional centres in providing opportunities in the professions and management been acknowledged. This article rectifies these omissions by drawing on research with young professionals employed in Manchester in the North West. It explores the migratory patterns of the ‘migrant’ interviewees. The article will show that the majority of young professionals were ‘migrants’ in having been geographically mobile at some point in their lives. Different types of migrants are identified: (1) those with family affiliations; (2) those with university roots; and (3) those with (seemingly) no connections to the city or the region. These migratory practices are shaped by different factors: namely, the close proximity of family and friends, attractive job opportunities in Manchester, the role of universities in establishing roots and a sense of belonging and, finally, an identification with the North — widely defined and straddling the Pennines. These factors also shaped the residential patterns of the sample. Si l'on connaît l'essentiel des schémas de mobilité des classes moyennes à Londres et dans le Sud‐Est, on a bien moins de certitudes quant aux modèles migratoires de ces populations dans d'autres régions britanniques. Pas plus que n'a été reconnue l'importance d'autres centres régionaux concernant l'offre d'opportunités pour les professions libérales et les cadres. Cet article corrige ces omissions à partir d'une étude réalisée auprès de jeunes diplômés travaillant à Manchester dans le Nord‐Ouest. Il étudie les schémas migratoires des ‘migrants’ interrogés. En majorité, ces jeunes sont des ‘migrants’, car ils ont été mobiles géographiquement à un moment de leur vie. Parmi eux, différents types sont identifiés: ceux qui ont des attaches familiales, ceux qui ont des racines universitaires, et ceux qui n'ont (en apparence) aucun lien avec la ville ou la région. Plusieurs facteurs façonnent ces pratiques migratoires, à savoir: proximité de famille ou d'amis, propositions d'emploi attirantes à Manchester, fonction d'enracinement et de sentiment d'appartenance des universités et, enfin, identification au Nord — selon une définition large s'étendant de part et d'autre des Pennines. D'après l'échantillon, ces facteurs structurent également les schémas résidentiels.     

KFAS mechanism of funding research and development: an assessment

This paper assesses mechanisms of funding research projects used by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). KFAS is a leading organization that sponsors research projects in Kuwait and whose endowments come through contributions from private sector companies. The assessment described in the paper relies on time series data covering the period from 1978 to 1996. The analysis shows that KFAS funding of research projects has favored projects in sectors such as agriculture and food resources, and has assigned low priority to prime sectors, such as oil, water, and manufacturing. This reflects a lack of coherence between the organization's R&D activities and the country's socioeconomic plans and needs.     

Surface movement ground control by means of a GPS–GIS system

Despite the traffic increases at the World's airports, little works have been done on methodologies to improve vehicles and airplanes ground control. This may be leading to reduced safety. Here an integrated system is developed to help guarantee suitable separations of land vehicles and airplanes moving on the airport ground area It can also addressed issues of the optimal use of taxi and runways. The system is composed of global positioning systems hardware, checks on the position of land vehicles and airplanes on the ground in real time, and special-purpose geographical information systems software for the tracking of land vehicles and airplanes within different planning operations.     

Dimensions of civic activism and their effectiveness in exposing corruption: evidence from Italy

This article studies the influence of civic activism in exposing corruption across Italian regions. Using different dimensions of civic activism (including local and national newspapers, the internet, blood donors, and voter turnout), we make the distinction between active (media, internet, voters) and passive (blood donors) activism. Results show interesting different impacts of civic activism on corruption. In particular, voter turnout, blood donors, and national newspaper diffusion consistently increased exposure of corruption, while the internet and local newspapers showed opposite effects. Thus, local newspapers and the internet point to the possibility of media capture (influence) with regard to corruption exposure. The main findings hold following the substantial reforms in the nineties (called Mani Pulite).     

Informalization in gig food delivery in the UK: The case of hyper-flexible and precarious work

This article examines the process of informalization of work in platform food delivery work in the UK. Drawing on qualitative data, this article provides new analytical insight into what drives individual formal couriers to both supply and demand informalized sub-contracted gig work to undocumented migrants, and how a platform company enables informal work practices through permissive HR practices and technology. In doing so, this article shows how platform companies are enablers of informal labor markets and contribute to the expansion of hyper-precarious working conditions.     

Is the relationship between bank stability,competition, and intervention quality nonlinear? Evidence from North African countries

This paper highlights the existence of a nonlinear relationship between bank stability and competition and analyzes the role that government intervention plays in shaping this relationship. We used a sample of 45 banks in North African countries over the period 2005–2019. We applied a semiparametric approach based on penalized spline estimation. The results unveil the specific shape of the competition–stability relationship at different levels of competition; banks reconsider their risk-taking behavior at each level of competition. This nonmonotonic stability at different levels of competition is attributed to the quality of intervention, which is found to be an important determinant in shaping this relationship. Thus, we explain the dispersion of risk levels among North African banks in part by the quality of regulation in each country and conclude by recommending the strengthening of regulation, supervision and the macro-prudential framework.     

Do CEO’s traits matter in innovation outcomes?

Journal of International Entrepreneurship - The study investigates the influence of CEO attributes on innovation outcomes on all firms listed on the SBF120 index between 2001 and 2013. We provide...