Search results

This study provides empirical evidence on the impact of the Panama Canal expansion (PCE) on the economies of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, particularly in light of the emergence of larger container ships such as neo-Panamax and post-Panamax vessels.

This study uses the Bayesian structural time Series (BSTS) model to evaluate the economic effects of the PCE on 21 countries within the LAC region. It utilized the World Bank's gross domestic product (GDP) figures between 2000 and 2019 as the primary variable, alongside the human development index (HDI) (X1), container throughput (TEU) (X2) and unemployment rates (UNEMPL) (X3) covariates. This allowed a precise and robust approach to analyzing time series data while accounting for uncertainties and allowing the inclusion of various components and external factors.

The findings revealed that the PCE has a positive and statistically significant impact on most countries within the Caribbean Transshipment Triangle, ranging from 9.2% in Belize to 46% in Cuba. This suggests that the causal effect of the PCE on regional economies was not confined to any specific type of economy or geographical location within the LAC region. Where the growth rates were statistically insignificant, primarily in some Latin American countries, it coincided with countries that are primarily driven by exports and service industries, where bulk and oil tanker vessels are likely to be the main carriers for exports rather than container vessels.

The practical implications of this research are crucial for various stakeholders in the maritime industry and economic planning. The factors influencing economic growth resulting from investing in maritime activities are vital for decision-makers to create policies that lead to positive outcomes and sustainable development in regions and countries with flourishing maritime industries. The methodology and findings have significant implications for governments, managers, professionals, policy-makers and investors.

This systematic review examined the emerging threat of indoor and outdoor pollutants to public health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Pollutants and pollution levels are becoming an increasing cause for concern within the LAC region, primarily because of the rapid increase in urbanization and the use of fossil fuels. The rise in indoor and outdoor air pollutants impacts public health, and there are limited regional studies on the impact of these pollutants and how they affect public health. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. Significant search terms included “indoor air pollution,” “outdoor air pollution,” “pollution,” “Latin America,” “Central America,” “South America” and “Caribbean was used.” The systematic review utilized the Rayyan systematic software for uploading and sorting study references.

Database searches produced 1,674 results, of which, after using the inclusion–exclusion criteria and assessing for bias, 16 studies were included and used for the systematic review. These studies covered both indoor and outdoor pollution. Various indoor and outdoor air pollutants linked to low birth weight, asthma, cancer and DNA impairment were reported in this review. Even though only some intervention programs are available within the region to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution, these programs need to be robust and appropriately implemented, causing possible threats to public health. Significant gaps in the research were identified, especially in the Caribbean.

Limitations of the study include limited available research done within LAC, with most of the research quantifying pollutants rather than addressing their impacts. Additionally, most studies focus on air pollution but neglect water and land pollution’s effects on public health. For this reason, the 16 studies included limited robustness of the review.

Although available studies quantifying pollution threats in LAC were identified in this review, research on the adverse impacts of pollution, especially concerning public health, is limited. LAC countries should explore making cities more energy-efficient, compact and green while improving the transportation sector by utilizing clean power generation. In order to properly lessen the effects of pollution on public health, more research needs to be done and implemented programs that are working need to be strengthened and expanded.

This paper aims to assess the “external dimension” goals of the Pan European Bologna reform, almost 19 years after its launch. The influences of the reform on higher education in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific are investigated. The paper analyses the appeal of the 1999 Bologna Process (BP), which, arguably, symbolizes an effort to strengthen the hegemony of Western European education and influence, has for the first time gone beyond ex-colonial lines, including areas where Europe’s socio-political influence is not impactful.

This paper opted for an analytical review of the literature on the European higher education internationalization goals as stated in external dimension objectives of the Bologna Process reform. The literature search was complicated by the limited number of peer review articles focusing on the spread of the Bologna model beyond Europe. As a result, the inclusion criteria were flexible, and consideration was given to educational website reports/articles, dissertations, books, pamphlets, and internal EU/European Commission reports.

The findings of this review indicate that, in spite of significant challenges, the internationalization objectives of Bologna Process are gradually being met in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Most notable is that some countries that historically did not have a European colonial presence are embracing aspects of the Bologna reform. Almost 19 years after, the BP reform now has a significant external influence not only in the former Portuguese, Spanish, British and French colonies but also beyond. In spite of the overwhelming embrace of the BP model in Europe and outside of Europe, its implementation, everywhere, has faced some administrative, political, and economic challenges.

The study examined the spread of the Bologna Process models beyond Europe and not its acceptability by stakeholders such as faculty and students outside Europe. Future research could examine the satisfaction rates among higher education stakeholders in regions and countries embracing the BP models.

The findings of this review indicate that the steady spread of the BP means that more countries and tertiary education institutions can explore opportunities aimed at developing more educational and socioeconomic partnership, including the exchange of knowledge, technology and resources.

While emphasizing the benefits and opportunities for cooperation, the paper identifies that the increasing internationalization trends influenced by the BP are leading to regional higher education cooperation in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Other higher education models around the world can learn from the marketing strategies of the BP aided by EU.

Este artículo aborda la relación emergente entre la sociedad civil y el sistema de innovación en América Latina y el Caribe –la financiación de la innovación, en particular– con la intención de sugerir una perspectiva conceptual diferenciada y plantear algunos de los interrogantes más relevantes en la actualidad.

Existe una desconexión estructural entre la sociedad civil y el mundo de la innovación. Empero, la exploración de las divergencias entre las perspectivas neo-institucional y neo-evolucionista de la triple hélice permite plantear que la evolución de los financiadores en distintos contextos puede generar una articulación emergente. Los efectos sobre la “sistematicidad” existente, en particular en América Latina y el Caribe, dependerán en buena medida del enfoque conceptual adoptado y de su institucionalización en términos de reestructuración de la sistematicidad de los sistemas de innovación y su governance.

La evolución de las relaciones entre los mecanismos de financiación emergentes y los proyectos innovadores en América Latina y el Caribe constituye tanto una oportunidad como un peligro. Si se logra re-estructurar la “sistematicidad”, la región podría seguir una senda con altas expectativas; si persisten las sub-dinámicas tradicionales, el fenómeno emergente podría verse despojado de todo su potencial.

Se propone un análisis conceptual y práctico diferente del tema de la financiación de la innovación, con énfasis en el caso latinoamericano y caribeño. Adicionalmente, se sugieren vías de investigación que permiten reducir la incertidumbre sobre la relación entre los actores del sistema de innovación y la sociedad civil y su impacto potencial.

Crowd-funding, América Latina y el Caribe, Cuarta hélice, Financiación de la innovación, Sistemas de innovación

Trabajo de investigación

The purpose of this paper is to deal with the emerging relationship between civil society and the innovation system in Latin America and the Caribbean – the financing of innovation, particularly – with the intention of suggesting a differentiated conceptual perspective and raising some of the most relevant questions presently.

There is a structural disconnect between civil society and the world of innovation. However, the exploration of the divergences between the neo-institutional and neo-evolutionist perspectives of the triple helix makes it possible to state that the evolution of funders in different contexts can generate an emerging articulation. The effects on the existing "systemness", particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, will depend to a large extent on the conceptual approach adopted and on its institutionalization in terms of restructuring the systemness of innovation systems and their governance.

The evolution of the relationships between emerging financing mechanisms and innovative projects in Latin America and the Caribbean constitutes both an opportunity and a risk. If "systemness" is restructured, the region could follow a path with high expectations; if traditional sub-dynamics persist, the emerging phenomenon could be stripped of its full potential.

A different conceptual and practical analysis of the topic of financing innovation is proposed, with emphasis on the Latin American and Caribbean case. Additionally, research paths are suggested that reduce uncertainty about the relationship between the actors of the innovation system and civil society and its potential impact.

The article aims at exploring the challenges and possibilities of cooperation of higher education in a Latin American social, political and cultural context that faces historical difficulties of integration, as well as the potential contribution of academic cooperation for global citizenship.

The paper presents a general overview of networks and international centers of academic cooperation of higher education in Latin America. The analysis comprises objectives, countries, stakeholders, activities, projects and scope. The study is based on literature on internationalization, regional integration and the development of higher education, as well as on empirical gathered with networks/centers and key actors in the field. This study was carried out as a mixed qualitative method design. Firstly, a systematic review of a literature corpus of studies produced by Latin-American scholars was performed. Semi-structured interviews were then carried out with a group of scholars who are members of networks.

The findings include a review of the role of higher education in a politically fragmented reality, a panorama of major networks and international centers of academic cooperation with emphasis on internationalization of higher education, as well as their connections. The are highlighted examples of successful initiatives of cooperation and, based on interviews, there is presented a preliminary view on cooperation and trust building from professionals in higher education in Latin America.

In the last decades, with the growing interest and need for internationalizing higher education, many universities have organized or joined networks and international centers. The article will contribute for mutual knowledge of these spaces, their shortcomings and potentials, thus creating conditions for dialogue among them, as well as with universities in other continents.

The activities carried out in ports are disruptive to the environment where they are located. Therefore, the objective of this work is to analyze the presence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the missions and visions of the main ports of Latin America.

A qualitative technique of content analysis was applied to the missions and visions of 72 ports in Latin America. First, the missions and visions of the ports were collected (72). Second, it was assigned a value 1 if the mission had any evidence of CSR, 0 if it had no evidence and “-” if the mission was not found. The same procedure was performed with the visions.

Results indicate that 20.83% of the ports allude to CSR in their missions, 34.72% of the ports allude to it in their missions and visions and 13.88% only allude to it in their visions (22 ports did not mention it in their missions or their visions). So, the main findings indicate that in Latin America the majority of ports do not consider elements of CSR in their missions and visions.

This paper is mainly focused on covering two gaps in the literature: first, to increase knowledge about the strategic bases of ports in Latin America through their missions and visions; and second, to visualize the coherence of the missions and visions with the activities of CSR.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue “The Entrepreneurship Challenges in Latin America”.

Latin America and the Caribbean is a region with many potentialities. Like one of the largest markets in the world, entrepreneurship activities can constitute a key element to enhance regional competitiveness.

This study makes a general overview of entrepreneurship dynamics in Latin America and its contexts. This study presents the eight manuscripts that constitute the special issue.

This study contributes to current academic conversations and highlights the relevance of continuing inquiring about the entrepreneurship phenomena at the regional level.

This study expects that this special issue will help the region’s scholarly entrepreneurship community and others interested in Latin America. This study also believes that this special issue manuscript makes a relevant contribution to policy and practice.