We quantify the effect of market disruptions due to COVID-19 on the lives of households in rural areas of Liberia and Malawi, utilizing panel data from phone surveys that were implemented as part of a randomized cash transfer experiment. The surveys began collection several months before the pandemic and have continued throughout it. The household survey included a consistent set of internationally accepted and validated questions on food security (the household dietary diversity score, the household hunger scale, and the food consumption score). In both countries, market activity was severely disrupted and we observe large declines in income among market vendors, but we find no evidence of declines in food security for households in the short run. Even though we observe no adverse effects of the lockdowns on food security among the control group, cash transfers improved dietary quality and quantity over the low levels observed at baseline.

Problem statement: Studies on cultural intelligence (CQ) have been recently initiated dramatically in an effort to determine how they were related to positive life outcomes. While past findings showed positive correlations to various aspects of life outcomes, clear establishments of the theoretical and empirical connections of CQ on cross-cultural adjustment and job performance among expatriates was still remain elusive in the literature. Approach: The literature was explored to acknowledge the accessible relationships among CQ, cultural adjustment and job performance of expatriates. Results: This article proposes a research framework that intends to cover several gaps and weaknesses identified in the literature. The sway of personality traits on CQ and expatriate assignment effectiveness were also discussed. In offering a new research approaches, total of eight research propositions were established. Conclusions/Recommendations: This article provides an updated review of the literature on CQ. The practical implications as well as academic contributions were also presented. Thus, anticipate more empirical studies on CQ and at the same time substantiate the proposed research framework.

This paper investigates the affects of dynamic intercultural competency of cultural intelligence and its dimensions on expatriate job performance. Based on sample of 332 expatriates working in Malaysia, cultural intelligence found to be a vital intercultural competency that facilitates expatriates job performance in international assignments. Specifically, the results of this study reveal that expatriates in Malaysia with greater meta-cognitive and behavioral cultural intelligence fared better in their contextual performance. Greater assignment specific performance related to greater behavioral cultural intelligence. The findings of this study contributes to the body of knowledge in the cross-cultural management field as well as practical implication to expatriating firms especially in the area of selection and hiring of international candidates.

Background Planners have relied on the Urban Development Boundary (UDB)/Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and Central Business District (CBD) to encourage contiguous urban development and conserve infrastructure. However, no studies have specifically examined the relationship between proximity to the UDB/UGB and CBD and walking behavior. Purpose To examine the relationship between UDB- and CBD-distance and walking in a sample of recent Cuban immigrants, who report little choice in where they live after arrival to the U.S. Methods Data were collected in 2008-2010 from 391 healthy, recent Cuban immigrants recruited and assessed within 90 days of arrival to the U.S. who resided throughout Miami-Dade County FL. Analyses in 2012-2013 examined the relationship between each UDB- and CBD-distance for each participant’s residential address and purposive walking, controlling for key sociodemographics. Follow-up analyses examined whether Walk Score®, a built-environment walkability metric based on distance to amenities such as stores and parks, mediated the relationship between purposive walking and each of UDB- and CBD-distance. Results Each one-mile increase in distance from the UDB corresponded to an 11% increase in the number of minutes of purposive walking, whereas each one-mile increase from the CBD corresponded to a 5% decrease in the amount of purposive walking. Moreover, Walk Score® mediated the relationship between walking and each of UDB- and CBD-distance. Conclusions Given the lack of walking and walkable destinations observed in proximity to the UDB/UGB boundary, a sprawl repair approach could be implemented, which strategically introduces mixed-use zoning to encourage walking throughout the boundary’s zone.

The handloom industry continues to play an important role in the Indian economy, providing employment to 27.83 lakh households. Nearly 77 per cent of this workforce comprises women who are located in rural areas. This article is a study of Thenzawl handloom cluster in Mizoram, a remote corner of India's north-east, which has become a model of entrepreneurship for underprivileged tribal women. The researchers undertook the mapping of Thenzawl handloom cluster and observed that of the 205 micro handloom enterprises operating there interestingly, 98 per cent of the entrepreneurs were women. We highlight the impact of micro handloom enterprises on livelihood in terms of the extent of dependence of entrepreneur households on handloom enterprises, the proportion of small weavers (on the basis of looms owned) and income earned from the enterprises in the cluster. The article also offers suggestions to initiate cluster development activities in the cluster to enable it to sustain their initiative and grow.