THE IMPACT OF GUANXI TO MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES BUSINESS PERFORMACE, CORPORATE REPUTATION, NEGOTIATIONS AND MANAGEMENT IN CHINA

The modern business development of China began during 1978 and during the last decades Chinese have created one of the most dynamic and strongest economies in the world. China is now second largest trading power calculated in dollars. The special characteristic of this economic development is that it is not copy of any existing economy, instead the developments have been strongly influenced by the Chinese cultural characteristics. One cultural characteristic, guanxi, which is a ���network of services and counter- services��� is argued to be major component of successful business in China where these changes of services happen between people but also between companies. Obtaining introductions and the guanxi when doing business in China will give attentive audience and security for companies business. Despite the evidenced importance of guanxi, China��s business environment is rapidly changing towards Western economies, which might then reduce the importance of guanxi. Therefore the current impact of guanxi is a important topic to study. The main purpose of this study is to explore the impact of guanxi for Western big and small sized multinational companies�� business processes when doing business in China. This study looks What is the impact of guanxi in contemporary Chinese business environment for foreign companies doing business in China. Sub-questions in this research focus on what is the impact of guanxi on corporate reputation, management and negotiations. Findings present a mixed view where the importance of guanxi is not anymore critical, especially among younger people in the cities, however guanxi was clearly important outside the cities and when dealing with government officials. Efficient use of guanxi can be extremely profitable especially during early stages of business operations and guanxi plays role when bargaining prices and ensuring product quality from the factories. Therefore guanxi should be considered as essential element for successful business in China.

Plant-soil interactions and grassland diversity restoration

Restoration schemes aimed at enhancing plant species diversity of improved agricultural grassland have been a key feature of agri-environmental policy since the mid 1980s. Allied to this has been much research aimed at providing policy makers with guidelines on how best to manage grassland to restore botanical diversity. This research includes long-term studies of the consequences for grassland diversity of management techniques such as different hay cut dates, fertiliser additions, seed introductions and grazing regimes. Studies have also explored the role of introductions of Rhinanthus minor into species-poor swards to debilitate competitive grasses. While these studies have been successful in identifying some management features that control plant species diversity in agricultural grassland, they have taken a largely aboveground perspective on plant community dynamics.

(Table 1) UK research stations, refuges and major depots between 1944 and 2010

Globally, areas categorically known to be free of human visitation are rare, but still exist in Antarctica. Such areas may be among the most pristine locations remaining on Earth and, therefore, be valuable as baselines for future comparisons with localities impacted by human activities, and as sites preserved for scientific research using increasingly sophisticated future technologies. Nevertheless, unvisited areas are becoming increasingly rare as the human footprint expands in Antarctica. Therefore, an understanding of historical and contemporary levels of visitation at locations across Antarctica is essential to a) estimate likely cumulative environmental impact, b) identify regions that may have been impacted by non-native species introductions, and c) inform the future designation of protected areas under the Antarctic Treaty System. Currently, records of Antarctic tourist visits exist, but little detailed information is readily available on the spatial and temporal distribution of national governmental programme activities in Antarctica. Here we describe methods to fulfil this need. Using information within field reports and archive and science databases pertaining to the activities of the United Kingdom as an illustration, we describe the history and trends in its operational footprint in the Antarctic Peninsula since c. 1944. Based on this illustration, we suggest that these methodologies could be applied productively more generally.

The old-spelling Shakespeare: being the works of Shakespeare in the spelling of the best quarto and folio texts;

Issued also with imprint: London, Chatto and Windus; New York, Duffield and company.

English poetry : in three volumes ; with introduction and notes.

Subtitle for v. 2-3: with introductions and notes.

The old-spelling Shakespeare: being the works of Shakespeare in the spelling of the best quarto and folio texts;

Issued also with imprint: New York, Duffield & company; London, Chatto and Windus.

Ecological genetics of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae): Population variation in Florida and its influence on performance of the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake (Myrtaceae) was imported into Florida from Australia over a century ago as a landscape plant. A favorable climate and periodic wildfires helped M. quinquenervia thrive; it now occupies about 200,000 hectares in southern Florida. A biological control (i.e., biocontrol) program against M. quinquenervia has been initiated, but not all biocontrol releases are successful. Some scientists have argued that poor biocontrol agent success may relate to genetic differences among populations of invasive weeds. I tested this premise by determining (1) the number and origins of M. quinquenervia introductions into Florida, (2) whether multiple introduction events resulted in the partitioning of Florida's M. quinquenervia populations into discrete biotypes, and (3) whether Oxyops vitiosa, an Australia snout beetle imported to control this weed, might discriminate among putative M. quinquenervia biotypes. Careful scrutiny of early horticultural catalogs and USDA plant introduction records suggested at least six distinct introduction events. Allozyme analyses indicated that the pattern of these introductions, and the subsequent redistribution of progeny, has resulted in geographic structuring of the populations in southern Florida. For example, trees on Florida's Gulf Coast had a greater effective number of alleles and exhibited greater heterozygosity than trees on the Atlantic Coast. Essential oil yields from M. quinquenervia leaves followed a similar trend; Gulf Coast trees yielded nearly twice as much oil as Atlantic Coast trees when both were grown in a common garden. These differences were partially explained by the predominance of a chemical phenotype (chemotype) very rich in the sesquiterpene (E)-nerolidol in M. quinquenervia trees from the Gulf Coast, but rich in a mixture of the monoterpene 1,8-cineole and the sesquiterpene viridiflorol in trees from the Atlantic Coast. Performance of O. vitiosa differed dramatically in laboratory studies depending on the chemotype of the foliage they were fed. Larval survivorship was four-fold greater on the (E)-nerolidol chemotype. Growth was also greater, with adult O. vitiosa gaining nearly 50% more biomass on the (E)-nerolidol plants than on the second chemotype. The results of this study thus confirmed the premise that plant genotype can affect the population dynamics of insects released as weed biocontrols. ^

The state and known impacts of fish species transferred to or within continental Africa

Fish introductions have been made from small fish ponds to the largest lakes in Africa. The primary intent of these introductions has been to sustain or increase fish production, although some introductions have been made to develop sport fisheries and to control unwanted organisms. Some of these introductions have fulfilled their objective in the short term, but several of these "successful" introductions have created uncertainties about their long term sustainability. Lates niloticus, Oreochromis niloticus, O. leucostictus, Tilapia melanopleura and T. zilli were introduced into lakes Victoria and Kyoga in 1950s and early 1960s. By the 1980s O. niloticus and O. niloticus dominated the fisheries of these lakes, virtually eliminating a number of endemic fish species. The loss of genetic diversity of the fish in the worlds second largest lake has also been accompanied by a loss of trophic diversity. The transformation of the fish community has, in Lake Victoria coincided with a profound eutrophication (algal blooms, fish kills, hypolimnetic anoxia) which might be related to alterations of the lake's food-web structure. In contrast, the introduction of a planktivore, Limnothrissa miodon into Lake Kivu and the Kariba reservoir has established highly successful fisheries with little documented effect on the pre-existing fish community or trophic ecology of the lakes. The highly endemised species-rich African Great lakes may be particularly sensitive to species introductions and require special consideration and caution when introductions are contemplated because species extinctions, introgressive hybridization and ecosystem alterations may occur following fish introductions.

Ecologia de les Invasions Ecol��giques

La paradoxa de les invasions planteja com ��s possible que algunes esp��cies siguin capaces d'envair regions a les que no han evolucionat i, fins i tot, arribar a ser m��s abundants que esp��cies aut��ctones que han tingut m��s oportunitat d���adaptars���hi. Comprendre l���ecologia de les invasions ��s especialment interessant perqu�� algunes d���aquestes esp��cies causen greus impactes ecol��gics i econ��mics arreu del m��n. Per intentar resoldre la paradoxa en aquest treball s���ha seguit dues aproximacions. Per una banda, mitjan��ant an��lisis comparatius s���ha volgut identificar aquelles caracter��stiques que afecten el resultat de les introduccions d���ocells, i utilitzar-les com a predictors en protocols d���avaluaci�� de riscos per prevenir futures invasions. Seguint en aquest nivell d���aproximaci�� tamb�� s���ha volgut validar si, tal com prediu la teoria ecol��gica, les estrat��gies vitals de les esp��cies afecten l'��xit en l'establiment de poblacions d'ocells ex��tics. D'altra banda, a trav��s d'aproximacions descriptives i experimentals, s���ha volgut investigar els mecanismes d���invasi�� en un cas d���estudi concret, el del Rossinyol del Jap�� (Leiothrix lutea) als boscos de Collserola (Barcelona). Els an��lisis comparatius han mostrat que ��s possible de predir la probabilitat d���establiment de les esp��cies introdu��des a partir d���unes poques caracter��stiques amb notable precisi��. Altrament, l���an��lisi sobre l���efecte de les estrat��gies vitals sobre el resultat de les invasions sembla indicar que hi ha un biaix en el registre hist��ric d���introduccions que impedeix descobrir la naturalesa d���aquesta relaci�� i suggereixen buscar una aproximaci�� alternativa per al problema. Respecte el cas del Rossinyol del Jap��, els resultats preliminars suggereixen que les raons del seu ��xit als boscos de Collserola podrien ser que ha trobat un n��nxol ecol��gic que est�� poc aprofitat per les esp��cies natives. Aquest treball vol mostrar com a trav��s de la integraci�� de diferents aproximacions podem ser capa��os d���aportar una visi�� m��s completa per comprendre la paradoxa de les invasions.

Molecular evidence that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 dissemination in a small Brazilian city was already taking place in the early 1990s

We recently performed a molecular epidemiology survey of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Miracema, a small city in Southeast Brazil, and found multiple monophyletic clusters, consistent with independent introductions and spread of different viral lineages in the city. Here we apply Bayesian coalescent-based methods to the two largest subtype B clusters and estimate that the most recent common ancestors that gave rise to these two transmission chains were in circulation around 1991-1992. The finding that HIV-1 spread in this Brazilian small city was already taking place at a time Aids was considered a problem restricted to large urban centers may have important public health implications.

Interviewing Carol Maier: a woman in translation

En un article posterior a les seves traduccions a la llengua anglesa de Memorias de Leticia Valle de Rosa Chacel i de Delirio y destino de Mar��a Zambrano, Carol Maier apunta el que penso que hauria de constituir una de les m��ximes m��s determinants en la pr��ctica de la traducci�� (1996, 209): �����it is not only in the ���text��� of a work but precisely in the notes, introductions, and afterwards meant to ensure a work���s recovery that the most decided re-covering often occurs.�� Per a Maier, traductora liter��ria, te��rica i professora de traducci��, la responsabilitat de l���activitat traductol��gica no es limita a una mera (re)escriptura del text originari. Cal que el traductor i la traductora s���impliquin, abandonin les dist��ncies cr��tiques i portin a la visibilitat el que pensen sobre la teoria i la pr��ctica de la traducci��. I ��s precisament aquesta crida de Maier a l���expansi�� del terme ��responsabilitat�� en traducci�� la que m���invita a presentar potser d���una altra manera aquesta entrevista amb ella. Maier ens ofereix ara i aqu�� un espai de debat, de di��leg i de reflexi�� per a totes les persones que volem pensar sobre les paradoxes i les contradiccions derivades de (re)escriure una textualitat en una altra llengua. En definitiva, estic conven��uda que les seves afirmacions, pensaments i comentaris sobre les interseccions entre el g��nere i la traducci�� es guanyaran merescudament el sobrenom de ��responsables�� per al qual ella lluita tan en��rgicament.

The whereabouts of an ancient wonderer: Global phylogeography of the solitary ascidian Styela plicata

Genetic tools have greatly aided in tracing the sources and colonization history of introduced species. However, recurrent introductions and repeated shuffling of populations may have blurred some of the genetic signals left by ancient introductions. Styela plicata is a solitary ascidian distributed worldwide. Although its origin remains unclear, this species is believed to have spread worldwide by travelling on ship's hulls. The goals of this study were to infer the genetic structure and global phylogeography of S. plicata and to look for present-day and historical genetic patterns. Two genetic markers were used: a fragment of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) and a fragment of the nuclear gene Adenine Nucleotide Transporter/ADP-ATP Translocase (ANT). A total of 368 individuals for COI and 315 for ANT were sequenced from 17 locations worldwide. The levels of gene diversity were moderate for COI to high for ANT. The Mediterranean populations showed the least diversity and allelic richness for both markers, while the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans had the highest gene and nucleotide diversities. Network and phylogenetic analyses with COI and ANT revealed two groups of alleles separated by 15 and 4 mutational steps, respectively. The existence of different lineages suggested an ancient population split. However, the geographic distributions of these groups did not show any consistent pattern, indicating different phylogeographic histories for each gene. Genetic divergence was significant for many population-pairs irrespective of the geographic distance among them. Stochastic introduction events are reflected in the uneven distribution of COI and ANT allele frequencies and groups among many populations. Our results confirmed that S. plicata has been present in all studied oceans for a long time, and that recurrent colonization events and occasional shuffling among populations have determined the actual genetic structure of this species.

The efficacy of anti-predator behaviour in the wood fog tadpole (Rana sylvatica) /

Activity has been suggested as an important behaviour that is tightly linked with predator avoidance in tadpoles. In this thesis I examine predator-prey relationships using wood frog tadpoles {Rana sylvaticd) as prey and dragonfly larvae {AnaxJunius) and backswimmers {Notonecta undulatd) as predators. I explore the role of prey activity in predator attack rates, prey response to single and multiple predator introductions, and prey survivorship. The data suggest that Anax is the more successful predator, able to capture both active and inactive tadpoles. In contrast, Notonecta strike at inactive prey less frequently and are seldom successftil when they do. A mesocosm study revealed that the presence of any predator resulted in reduced activity level of tadpoles. Each predator species alone had similar effects on tadpole activity, as did the combined predator treatment. Tadpole survivorship, however, differed significantly among both predator treatments and prey populations. Tadpwles in the combined predator treatment had enhanced risk; survivorship was lower than that expected if the two predators had additive effects. Differences in survivorship among wood frog populations showed that tadpoles from a lake habitat had the lowest survivorship, those from a shallow pond habitat had an intermediate survivorship, and tadpoles from a marsh habitat had the highest survivorship. The frequency of interactions with predators in the native habitat may be driving the population differences observed. In conclusion, results from this study show that complex interactions exist between predators, prey, and the environment, with activity playing a key role in the survival of tadpoles.

Distribuci�� espacial i ��s de l'h��bitat de la comunitat de peixos a l'estany de Banyoles

En el marc d'un projecte m��s ampli sobre la comunitat de peixos de la conca lacustre de Banyoles, s'ha estudiat la distribuci�� espacial de les diferents esp��cies aix�� com l'��s que aquestes fan de l'h��bitat. El poblament pisc��cola de l'estany de Banyoles ��s el resultat d'un llarg historial d'introducci�� d'esp��cies ex��tiques i extinci�� de les poblacions aut��ctones locals. S'ha revisat la seva composici�� actual detectant un total de 18 esp��cies (4 aut��ctones i 14 introdu��des) de les quals nom��s 13 presenten una poblaci�� estable. L'estudi de l'h��bitat s'ha centrat a l'Estany, l'element principal del sistema lacustre, analitzant per separat la zona litoral i la zona limn��tica. En el primer cas s'han realitzat les captures d'individus mitjan��ant pesca el��ctrica des d'una embarcaci�� adaptada per aquesta pr��ctica. La totalitat del litoral ha estat dividida en trams de caracter��stiques homog��nies on s'han obtingut les captures per unitat d'esfor�� per cada esp��cie. El mostreig s'ha desenvolupat entre l'estiu de 1997 i la primavera del 2000 realitzant un total de 10 campanyes de pesca. Les esp��cies m��s abundants al litoral s��n la perca americana (Micropterus salmoides) i el peix sol (Lepomis gibbosus), essent tamb�� presents la perca (Perca fluviatilis), carpa (Cyprinus carpio) i el gard�� (Scardinius erythrophthalmus). S'han capturat altres esp��cies com ara anguila (Anguilla anguilla), bagra (Squalius cephalus), sandra (Sander lucioperca), carp�� (Carassius auratus) i madrilleta vera (Rutilus rutilus), per�� s��n molt menys abundants en nombre. S'ha examinat, per cadascuna de les esp��cies, si existeix selecci�� de l'h��bitat i en cas afirmatiu, quin ��s el preferent en base a la classificaci�� del litoral en sis tipus de vegetaci�� predominant. Les esp��cies m��s abundants, perca americana i peix sol, ocupen tots els h��bitats disponibles per�� amb una densitat diferent. La perca mostra tamb�� una clara selecci�� de l'h��bitat a favor de les zones molt estructurades amb abundant pres��ncia de jonca litoral. Carpa i gard�� seleccionen els ambients m��s fondos amb major pres��ncia de mat��ria org��nica d'origen vegetal procedent del bogar. En general els individus ocupen les zones amb una densitat de vegetaci�� interm��dia, majorit��riament zones de jonca a l'estiu i zones amb mansega a l'hivern, on troben refugi i els recursos tr��fics necessaris. La perca americana, a m��s, presenta una elevada fidelitat a un mateix punt del litoral al llarg de la seva vida. La zona limn��tica ha estat prospectada mensualment mitjan��ant ecosondaci��, realitzant transectes perpendiculars a l'eix principal de l'Estany, cobrint la seva totalitat. La composici�� d'esp��cies s'ha obtingut a partir de les captures fetes amb xarxes (tresmalls) amb periodicitat estacional. L'an��lisi geoestad��stica de la densitat de peixos ha perm��s descriure l'estructura espacial d'aquesta a partir dels variogrames, aix�� com la seva variabilitat tant espacial com temporal, i obtenir els mapes de densitat. A l'hivern, la densitat de peixos a la zona limn��tica assoleix els seus valors m��nims i els individus es troben formant agregats dispersos, pels diferents estrats de fond��ria. A partir de la primavera la densitat augmenta, pel reclutament i la major freq����ncia d'individus que abandonen el litoral; la densitat esdev�� m��s homog��nia a les primer capes de fond��ria. A l'estiu la densitat ��s m��xima i l'estrat m��s homogeni coincideix amb la posici�� de la termoclina. Aquest estructura varia en disminuir la temperatura i barrejar-se la columna d'aigua, tornant a la situaci�� hivernal. La perca i la madrilleta vera s��n les esp��cies predominants en aquest ambient, juntament amb la carpa. La seva distribuci�� no ��s homog��nia i respon a les caracter��stiques limnol��giques de les diferents cubetes de l'Estany. Una particularitat d'aquest, relacionada amb el seu origen c��rstic, es la formaci�� d'una ploma hidrotermal que afecta la distribuci�� dels peixos, probablement en augmentar la terbolesa. S'ha integrat l'��s de l'h��bitat de les esp��cies que ocupen tant la zona limn��tica com la litoral a partir del seguiment d'individus, concretament de perca i bagra. S'ha utilitzat un sistema autom��tic de posicionament que estima la localitzaci�� dels individus marcats amb transmissor de telemetria ac��stica. L'an��lisi dels despla��aments mostra un rang superior per la bagra en comparaci�� amb la perca. Ambdues esp��cies mostren una orientaci�� en els seus despla��aments. La perca ocupa el litoral a la nit i es despla��a a la zona limn��tica de dia, amb un ritme d'activitat marcat per dos m��xims coincidint amb la sortida i posta de sol; en canvi la bagra mostra una major activitat nocturna amb zones de rep��s properes al litoral. S'ha estimat igualment els dominis vital de cada individu marcat.

The history of the introduction of the giant river prawn, Macrobrachium cf. rosenbergii (Decapoda, Palaemonidae), in Brazil: new insights from molecular data

Funda����o de Amparo �� Pesquisa do Estado de S��o Paulo (FAPESP)