Militia rivalry impedes peace efforts in Libya

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Black Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Official Rate ◽  
Strategic Position

Significance The paths they take will have significant implications for politics, security and the economy. Impacts Renewed fighting would cause substantial damage to Tripoli’s infrastructure and lead to significant displacements. Devaluing the dinar’s official rate will only temporarily stall the black-market rate’s further fall amid stalled economic reforms. Some militias might view election delays as a window to renew fighting over state resources and seek strategic position ahead of elections.

Earthquake complicates Haiti's long-term challenges

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Black Market ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Assistance ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
Socioeconomic Challenges

Significance The 7.2-magnitude earthquake caused widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure. The disaster comes amid political turmoil, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month, and threatens to compound pre-existing socioeconomic challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, surging crime rates, and fuel shortages in some areas. Impacts The Dominican Republic is sending aid, but will also increase security along its border to prevent increased migration. Gangs will seek to extort humanitarian groups or siphon off relief supplies to sell on the black market. Henry’s increased reliance on external assistance could affect trust in his administration, especially if elections are delayed too long.

Even if politicians deal, Lebanon faces a bleak future

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Aid ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Food Shortages

Significance The audit and wider structural economic reforms are preconditions for urgently needed foreign aid. Economic conditions in Lebanon are still worsening, with power cuts, food shortages and rising poverty. Impacts A new government would allow reform planning to resume and temporarily stall the decline of the currency. The easing of the global pandemic will somewhat reduce the financial strain, as Lebanon reopens its economy. Soaring poverty rates could provoke large-scale ‘bread riots’ in the coming months. Further devaluation of the currency will make poor Lebanese more dependent on sectarian protection and strengthen patronage. If the situation worsens, sectarian rural areas could revert to warlordism in the medium term.

New Algerian polls will not address protest demands

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Political Prisoners ◽  
Old Regime ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protest Movement ◽  
External Borrowing

Significance Demonstrations resumed on February 22, the second anniversary of the ‘Hirak’ movement that ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from office. His successor, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has failed to appease the protest movement. On February 21, he announced the release of political prisoners, a partial cabinet reshuffle and the dissolution of parliament in anticipation of elections, but the measures appear to have been ineffective in staving off dissent. Impacts After the elections, Tebboune might have backing for economic reforms that would open the economy to foreign investors. As reserves have fallen to USD43bn, down from USD59bn in February 2020, Algiers may have to resort to external borrowing. Members of the old regime who survived the fall of Bouteflika might decide to fight back if Tebboune challenges their interests too much.

scholarly journals Extending McKinsey’s 7S model to understand strategic alignment in academic libraries

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 313-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Martin Cox ◽  
Stephen Pinfield ◽  
Sophie Rutter
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Influences ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Strategic Position ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise the issues of alignment for changing academic libraries by using and extending McKinsey’s 7S model. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical work was conducted to consider and extend the 7S model for the situation of academic libraries. Empirical data were then used to confirm the value of these extensions and suggest further changes. The data to support the analysis were drawn from 33 interviews with librarians, library and non-library academics and experts, and a survey of UK library staff. Findings In the academic library context, the 7S model can be usefully extended to include three library functions (stuff, space and services) and users. It can also include institutional influences and stakeholders, and aspects of the external environment or situation, including suppliers and allies. The revised model then provides a useful framework within which data about library change can be analysed. Perceived barriers to successful performance fit the model and enable the identification of seven challenges of alignment. Research limitations/implications The resulting model has potential applications such as in the structuring analysis of academic library performance, mapping future directions of development and for exploring variations across the sector and internationally. Practical implications The revised model can be used by practitioners to think through their own strategic position and to act to shape their future, in the light of seven major areas of alignment. Originality/value The paper extends a well-known model used in strategy, to produce a more comprehensive, sector-specific analytic tool.

Tensions to rise on Haiti-Dominican Republic border

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Black Market ◽  
Border Security ◽  
Irrigation Canal ◽  
Undocumented Migration ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Term Labour

Significance One is the Dominican Republic’s controversial plan to build a border ‘wall’, to halt undocumented migration. Another is the Haitian authorities’ recent construction of an irrigation canal just within the Haitian side of the border. Protests and border clashes are likely to intensify over the coming months. Impacts Increased border security will drive up demand for, and the cost of, cross-border smuggling, worsening insecurity. Effective border policing may foster short-term labour shortages in the Dominican Republic. Demands for vaccination evidence before crossing the border will probably prompt a surge in black-market vaccination certificates.

France’s Macron seeks to relaunch economic reforms

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Government Spending ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Fiscal Rules ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Social Unrest ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
Mandatory Vaccination

Significance Among those policies are measures targeted at youth unemployment and social care for older people, aimed at attracting left-wing support. Most importantly, Macron has committed to relaunching his controversial pension reforms, which triggered widespread social unrest in late 2019 and early 2020. Impacts Mandatory vaccination could trigger protests and legal action against the government. The centre-right Republicans could take support from Macron if they unite around a strong presidential candidate over the coming months. Macron will likely push for looser EU fiscal rules to facilitate more government spending beyond 2022.

Understanding black market retailing: the case of Colombia’s San Andresitos

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 483-505
Author(s):  
Mark S. Rosenbaum ◽  
Mauricio Losada-Otalora ◽  
Germán Contreras-Ramirez
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Black Market ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Black Markets ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Reader Responses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore black market retailing, with a focus on Colombia’s San Andresitos. Design/methodology/approach The authors use grounded theory methodology to develop a theoretical framework that explains how consumers rationalize their acceptance, rejection, or tolerance of black market retailing. The authors obtained qualitative data based on reader responses to newspaper articles on San Andresitos and used the responses as qualitative data in comparative analysis to derive a “strategy family” theoretical framework. Findings The framework advances rationalization techniques that consumers employ to accept, reject, or tolerate the San Andresitos. Research limitations/implications Colombians are divided on the legality of the San Andresitos. Although half the informants note the wrongfulness of the San Andresitos, the other half offer reasons to accept or tolerate them. Practical implications Legitimate (i.e. lawful) retailers operating in Colombia, or planning to enter, need to realize that local and national government officials support the San Andresitos. Colombia’s legitimate retailers must co-exist with the black market and dissuade consumers from patronizing unauthorized vendors or purchasing illicit goods. Social implications Colombia’s acceptance of its black markets results in consumers inadvertently supporting crime, terrorism, and even bodily harm via the San Andresitos. However, the San Andresitos enable lower-income consumers to gain access to otherwise unattainable merchandise and provide employment through lower-skilled labor. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to explore black markets. From a transformative service research perspective, this research reveals how consumers, retailers, and government officials participate in Colombia’s black market, and how their activities serve to harm consumer well-being.

Myanmar regulation reform will spur investment

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Regulatory Environment ◽  
Business Climate ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Administration ◽  
Regulation Reform ◽  
The Government

Subject Myanmar's business environment. Significance The government is instituting measures to improve the business climate and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the economy. As part of this effort, on February 24, it instituted the Competition Act. However, while there has been an influx of new FDI, foreign investors remain wary -- largely because of the challenges of navigating Myanmar's old and complex regulatory environment. Impacts Economic reforms could slow in the event of an opposition electoral victory, as the new government gains experience. Improvements to the business environment could be constrained by a faltering or failed ethnic peace process. Regulatory reforms backed up by effective administration could contribute to equitable economic growth.

Kuwait's politics will stall economic reforms

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Extended Period ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Fiscal Sustainability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Plan ◽  
Capital Spending ◽  
The Government ◽  
International Assets

Significance With huge financial reserves, low public debt and a small population, Kuwait is one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states best equipped to ride out an extended period of low oil prices. However, with the country registering its first budget deficit in 16 years, concerns about Kuwait's long-term fiscal sustainability have become more pressing, and the government has introduced a reform plan aimed at restructuring the economy. Impacts The government will step up capital spending, launching as many projects as possible before the 2017 election. The private sector is likely to face increased financial costs, eg, corporate taxes, higher utilities charges and employment of nationals. Kuwait will become further integrated into the international bond market, and rely more on its international assets as a source of income. Political tensions could rise ahead of the 2017 poll if the government takes more measures to reduce opposition electoral prospects. Kuwait will lag behind other GCC states in its progress on economic reforms.

Summer of crisis will drive Cuban migration

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Black Market ◽  
Market Reforms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Domestic Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pull Factor ◽  
Price Controls

Significance However, while US policies are a pull-factor for migrants, recent domestic problems also provide powerful reasons to leave Cuba, which has fallen into the worst economic crisis since the 1990s. Impacts Reversing the decline of domestic production will require a deepening of market reforms. However, short-term political concerns over rising discontent will encourage a return to price controls. That will rekindle the black market and undermine the credibility of long-term reform plans.

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