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Discusses the unequal allocation of social capital in society and makes the point that network membership is not at once available to all. Sees social capital as springing from small groups that work together, perhaps competing with others, to achieve common rewards, thereby pursuing locally shared benefits. Concludes that specific definitions of social capital are superior to others especially in examining the full array of social ties which migrants use in creating ethnic economies and communities.

Examines the problem of dry rot appearing during a refurbishment contract. Discusses investigation techniques for dry rot, and the role and management of specialist treatment firms. Concludes that professional surveyors are potentially at risk from negligence suits if their advice does not set out a clear picture of risks faced by their clients, stating that the acceptance of a risk “on behalf of” a client, without seeking their opinion, is inappropriate.

The study aims to explore the sectoral contributions defined as agriculture, manufacturing and services value added, capital inflows defined as workers' remittances, foreign direct investment, official development assistance and domestic credit by banks as a proxy for financial deepening in Brazil-led, and Mexico-led clusters, and Latin America and the Caribbean region as a whole. The goal is to ascertain the polarization and uniformity effects of these parameters in shaping the growth and development in the midst of global financial crisis and economic challenges facing the region.

Using the classifications of Brazil-led cluster and Mexico-led cluster from Izquierdo and Talvi, the study is advanced using panel (pool) data estimation using the ARDL approach. The author used the augmented Solow framework to advance the study. He first established the desired cointegration vector for individual countries within the cluster, each cluster level and the region prior to pursuing the regression estimation. Both clusters were combined to represent the region. The author estimates the short-run (first-difference) and long-run effects of sectoral contributions and capital inflows in the region.

The region's capital productivity is driven by Brazil-led cluster. In phase 1 (sectoral shifts), polarization is noted in agriculture (dominated by Brazil-led cluster); and services (dominated by Mexico-led cluster). Uniformity exists in two clusters and the region with respect to manufacturing share where both clusters have almost equal (positive) dominance and hence exuding positive effects in the region. In phase 2, polarization is noted in remittances (dominated Brazil-led cluster), foreign direct investment (dominated by Mexico-led cluster) and financial development (dominated by Brazil-led cluster). Uniformity is noted in both clusters and the region from negative effects of official development assistance (ODA).

The study is fairly new and contemporary in its attempt to analyze the effects of sectoral shifts and capital inflows in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. Using the classification of Brazil-led cluster and Mexico-led cluster, it investigates the polarization and uniformity in the region with respect to these parameters. The study contributes to policy dialogue, and explores the emerging trends in key economic and structural factors of growth whilst highlighting some burgeoning issues shaping LAC's growth and development overall.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a double mechanism model to separate two foreign direct investment (FDI) intra-industry spillovers mechanisms: spillovers by FDI intensity and by FDI efficiency. This paper seeks to illustrate the potential use of the double mechanism model rather than provide precise estimates of spillovers. The evidence on the links between technology and the nature, size and mechanisms of FDI spillovers effects in economically developing countries is mixed.

A model is developed and tested, in principle. Empirical testing was conducted in two steps. In the first step, the authors examined the effect of each influencing factor to FDI spillovers separately. To complete this step, the authors divided the whole sample industry into sub-groups and tested them with the double-mechanism using ordinary least squares regression. This study applies Chinese National Bureau of Statistics manufacturing industry level data, for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, including the food industry, beverage industry, textile industry, textiles and garments, chemicals and chemical products industry, overall manufacturing equipment, special equipment, computer and other electronic equipment manufacturing industries.

The analysis suggests significant differences between types of spillovers: export orientation of domestic firms mainly influences FDI spillovers by intensity; the capability gap between local and foreign firms influences spillovers by efficiency; and the growth of local firms influences both types of spillovers. This paper develops existing models of FDI and suggests that disaggregating spillovers types may provide important theoretical and policy insights.

This study has found, first, that compared with the classic single mechanism model, the double mechanism model is more appropriate for testing FDI intra-industry spillovers, as it is able to separate spillovers by intensity and spillovers by efficiency, which are shown as two distinct mechanisms for FDI spillovers. This allows a deeper analysis into each mechanism and the identification of relevant influencing factors.

Procurement records are critical for the effective execution of the procurement process and have been applied as tools to measure compliance and performance of Public Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs) by the regulating authority in Uganda – the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA). However, the state of records in various Ugandan PDEs depicts poor records management. This situation has adversely affected the effective creation, usage and storage of public procurement records. This compromises the value and importance of records within the procurement process, with most documents being unavailable and unreliable. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between procurement records compliance, effective risk management and records management performance in Ugandan PDEs.

The study adopted a quantitative research design and used a cross-sectional survey. The researchers developed a questionnaire on the study constructs of procurement records compliance, effective risk management and records management performance using measurement scales derived from previous empirical studies which were modified to suit the current study.

The results indicate quantitative evidence of significant positive relationships between procurement records compliance, effective risk management and records management performance. Findings also reveal that procurement records compliance and effective risk management are significant predictors of record management performance. The results also suggest that effective risk management has a stronger influence on records management performance than that on procurement records compliance.

The study context is sub-Saharan Africa, and the findings are, therefore, limited to that context; they reflect existing knowledge in other contexts. The use of a standard questionnaire limited the ability to collect views about information outside the questions asked. The study was only cross-sectional, and the study variables could not be analyzed over a long time. Common methods bias remains a potential threat; future studies should use different source data.

Custodians of procurement records, that is, procurement officers, records officers and accounting officers for Ugandan PDEs need to pay special attention to prevailing records laws and policies to minimize risks associated with the poor management of records, as well as improve performance in the management of records creation, storage, retrieval, access and the preservation of vital records.

The study contributes to an important area which has not been given attention in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, especially Uganda where there is a difficulty of linking the value of records management to business processes due to a lack of quantitative evidence.

The collection of essays in this volume provides fairly comprehensive analyses of contemporary theoretical and policy issues in international trade. As technological revolution eliminates communications costs and the countries gear towards more open trade regimes through negotiations at the WTO, the world effectively gets smaller. The evolution of research in trade theory and policy has closely followed the trends in global economy. Issues such as how trade affects distribution of income across and within nations, generates resources for growth, leads to bilateral and multilateral cooperation and conflicts, and many others have been picked up and analyzed systematically in various chapters of this volume. Before we go into the details of the relevant sections and constituent chapters, it is worthwhile to emphasize two special features of this volume.

The Government's proposals for the establishment of a Greater London Council were contained in the White Paper on London Government, published last November. In the main, the Government support the recommendations of the Royal Commission, although many of these were controversial and aroused much opposition, particularly from the London County Council itself. The present two‐tier form of local government is to be replaced by a Greater London Borough as the primary unit responsible for its own area and an elected Greater London Council with larger and broader functions for a very much larger area. This will consist of the present area of the London County Council, Middlesex and parts of Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and Surrey, coinciding with the approximate area of the metropolitan police district.