scholarly journals Risky business: linking Toxoplasma gondii infection and entrepreneurship behaviours across individuals and countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1883) ◽  
pp. 20180822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie K. Johnson ◽  
Markus A. Fitza ◽  
Daniel A. Lerner ◽  
Dana M. Calhoun ◽  
Marissa A. Beldon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
National Level ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Cultural Attitudes ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Disciplines such as business and economics often rely on the assumption of rationality when explaining complex human behaviours. However, growing evidence suggests that behaviour may concurrently be influenced by infectious microorganisms. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii infects an estimated 2 billion people worldwide and has been linked to behavioural alterations in humans and other vertebrates. Here we integrate primary data from college students and business professionals with national-level information on cultural attitudes towards business to test the hypothesis that T. gondii infection influences individual- as well as societal-scale entrepreneurship activities. Using a saliva-based assay, we found that students ( n = 1495) who tested IgG positive for T. gondii exposure were 1.4× more likely to major in business and 1.7× more likely to have an emphasis in ‘management and entrepreneurship' over other business-related emphases. Among professionals attending entrepreneurship events, T. gondii -positive individuals were 1.8× more likely to have started their own business compared with other attendees ( n = 197). Finally, after synthesizing and combining country-level databases on T. gondii infection from the past 25 years with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor of entrepreneurial activity, we found that infection prevalence was a consistent, positive predictor of entrepreneurial activity and intentions at the national scale, regardless of whether previously identified economic covariates were included. Nations with higher infection also had a lower fraction of respondents citing ‘fear of failure' in inhibiting new business ventures. While correlational, these results highlight the linkage between parasitic infection and complex human behaviours, including those relevant to business, entrepreneurship and economic productivity.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among small mammals in Tatarstan, Russian Federation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai D. Shamaev ◽  
Eduard A. Shuralev ◽  
Oleg V. Nikitin ◽  
Malik N. Mukminov ◽  
Yuriy N. Davidyuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
B1 Gene ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

AbstractToxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite with a wide host range that includes humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Small mammals serve as intermediate hosts for T. gondii and may contribute to the persistence of this parasite in the environment. Mass mortality in wild animals and deaths in rare endemic species make the study of this parasite of growing importance. In this study, T. gondii infection prevalence was evaluated in brain tissues from 474 small mammals captured at 26 trapping points in urban and rural areas of Tatarstan, Russian Federation. Nested PCR was used to detect the T. gondii B1 gene in the samples. Overall, 40/474 samples (8.44%) showed B1 gene positivity. T. gondii infection among the wild small mammals trapped in the rural area was significantly higher as a whole than that of the urban area as a whole. Multivariate logistical regression analysis also showed that the trapping area (rural or urban) significantly contributed to T. gondii positivity. Vegetation in the trapping points, small mammal species, sex, age or distance from the trapping points to the nearest human settlements did not significantly affect T. gondii positivity in the sampled small mammals.

Institutions and entrepreneurial activity: a comparative analysis of Kosovo and other economies

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-119
Author(s):  
Fadil Sahiti
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
National Level ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
International Perspective ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Access To Finance ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper investigates institutional quality and its impact on entrepreneurship activities in a less-developed economy. The unifying characteristic of government policies in less-developed contexts is that, often, the primary focus of policy makers is not entrepreneurs and, especially, not the impact of these intuitions on entrepreneurs. This paper aims to show that this impact can be considerable. The author investigates political and macroeconomic institutions and regulations, human capital and skills development and access to finance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper investigates institutions that have major impact on entrepreneurship activities in a less-developed economy. The data used for the analysis is focused on Kosovan entrepreneurship, but the findings are presented in the wider context of economies. The aim of the investigation in this study is to identify whether certain regulations and institutions in different countries affect the level of entrepreneurship activity. In addition, the purpose is to identify similarities and differences among entrepreneurship patterns in diverse economic and institutional settings and to capture this diversity within a common framework. Most of institutions that are subject of analysis belong to one of the following dimensions: political, legal and regulatory institutions, educational institutions geared towards entrepreneurship and the quality of the financial system (e.g. cost of and access to finance). What the empirical results in this paper show is that the impact of such institutions on entrepreneurship can be considerable. The more conducive and qualitative the country’s institutional conditions are, the higher the likely levels of entrepreneurship and vice versa.FindingsThe results of the investigation suggest that compared to the reference countries, entrepreneurship in Kosovo is subject to numerous constraints. However, they suggest, also, that the most binding of these are related to institutional quality, followed by the cost of finance and human capital limitations.Originality/valueThere are few studies in the entrepreneurship literature that use data at the country level, a level that provides a considerable level of precision on the quest to understand what propels and constraints entrepreneurial activity. Given the scarcity of studies at the country level, this study aims to contribute in three ways. First, it aims to advance our discussion of how institutions can rightfully support business creation and retention in a less-developed economy. Second contribution is empirical. Entrepreneurship research rarely incorporates the analysis of several cohorts of firm entrants and exits from a developing and relatively young economy, which, so far, has received little research attention. Third, this analysis contributes to the development of a comparative methodology to measure entrepreneurship activities from an international perspective. The findings obtained for a less-developed economy are compared to data for four benchmark countries, to measure entrepreneurship at the national level.

scholarly journals A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON CREATING A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT AND HR INITIATIVES WITH REFERENCE TWO LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL UNITS OF VISAKHAPATNAM

2020 ◽  
pp. 84-93
Author(s):  
Dr. Shaik Shamshuddin ◽  
Dr. Shaik Haniefuddin ◽  
Dr. Shaik Khadar Baba
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
National Level ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Industrial Units

This culture enables all employees to use their initiative, take risk, experiments, innovate and un-grade their potentialities to meet the existing and future challenges in short and long term perspectives. In this connection working conditions of employees within organization play a vital role for enhancing the economic productivity of an organization. At the national level, the dimension of HRD needs to be reviewed periodically and adjustments made according to the change in environment. India has one of the largest reservoirs of human resource in the World, which can combat any problem in the process of development especially at the economic level. The main objective of the study is to assess the levels of the utilization of human resources as well as to determine the functional status of the units. Keeping the above aspects under consideration, the study selected two large scale industrial units Viz., Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and Coromandel Fertilizers Ltd. For the purpose of the study the data was collected from primary and secondary sources. Primary data was entered using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software and STATISTICA. Uni-variate and bi-variate tables were generated and chi-square tests and t-tests were carried out for testing the hypothesis at problem the level itself. The very purpose of this research is to know the opinion of the Employees on working conditions in Petrochemical and Fertilizer industries the effect of the development in industrial organizations and the development of productivity culture in the employees.

Strategies for Survival of the World — Risk Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jovo Lojanica ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Native Americans ◽  
National Level ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Management Standards ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Iso 31000 ◽  
History Of ◽  
Personal Level

All management standards have requirements for different aspects of improvements on the personal level, family level, company level, in business and life. What is about national level and country level? Is it possible for today’s generations to learn history of nations and of civilizations? If it is — ok, let’s apply it on actual time and people to have less problems and difficulties — especially if is actual in field of risk management. Majority of people are occupied by today’s problems. They don’t consider past and future challenges. People from each country strive for better quality, better and cleaner environment, higher safety etc. historically and today. But could we remember: How did Genghis Khan conquer many regions and how was he defeated? How did Mayas and Aztecs die out? How were Native Americans in North America drastically reduced in numbers? How did the Roman Imperium vanish? How was the Ottoman Imperium established and how it vanished? How many people were killed in the wars in XX century, etc? In all these catastrophic changes risks were not considered in an adequate way. Requirements of risk management — Principles and guidelines — ISO 31000:2009 are very consultative. They could be used on country level, national level, regional level, continental and intercontinental level.

The management of acute Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy – literature review

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (19) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Mihai Mitran ◽  
Octavia Velicu ◽  
Roberta Ciobanu ◽  
Diana-Elena Comandașu ◽  
Elvira Brătilă
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

scholarly journals Defining and Quantifying National-Level Targets, Indicators and Benchmarks for Management of Natural Resources to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Dickens ◽  
Vladimir Smakhtin ◽  
Matthew McCartney ◽  
Gordon O’Brien ◽  
Lula Dahir
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
National Level ◽  
Resource Quality ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Country Level ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Global Indicators

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are high on the agenda for most countries of the world. In its publication of the SDGs, the UN has provided the goals and target descriptions that, if implemented at a country level, would lead towards a sustainable future. The IAEG (InterAgency Expert Group of the SDGs) was tasked with disseminating indicators and methods to countries that can be used to gather data describing the global progress towards sustainability. However, 2030 Agenda leaves it to countries to adopt the targets with each government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account national circumstances. At present, guidance on how to go about this is scant but it is clear that the responsibility is with countries to implement and that it is actions at a country level that will determine the success of the SDGs. Reporting on SDGs by country takes on two forms: i) global reporting using prescribed indicator methods and data; ii) National Voluntary Reviews where a country reports on its own progress in more detail but is also able to present data that are more appropriate for the country. For the latter, countries need to be able to adapt the global indicators to fit national priorities and context, thus the global description of an indicator could be reduced to describe only what is relevant to the country. Countries may also, for the National Voluntary Review, use indicators that are unique to the country but nevertheless contribute to measurement of progress towards the global SDG target. Importantly, for those indicators that relate to the security of natural resources security (e.g., water) indicators, there are no prescribed numerical targets/standards or benchmarks. Rather countries will need to set their own benchmarks or standards against which performance can be evaluated. This paper presents a procedure that would enable a country to describe national targets with associated benchmarks that are appropriate for the country. The procedure builds on precedent set in other countries but in particular on a procedure developed for the setting of Resource Quality Objectives in South Africa. The procedure focusses on those SDG targets that are natural resource-security focused, for example, extent of water-related ecosystems (6.6), desertification (15.3) and so forth, because the selection of indicator methods and benchmarks is based on the location of natural resources, their use and present state and how they fit into national strategies.

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