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Caribbean firms cope with international competition both in their small domestic economies and as they extend their operations outside their home countries. This volume explores their struggles and successes in fifteen case studies developed from interviews with Caribbean firms at key decision points in their internationalizing processes. The cases ask the reader to offer direction; to evaluate choices made or to opine on paths not taken. The cases feature over thirty countries in the Americas, Europe and the Caribbean. These appear as markets, domiciles or hosts of subsidiaries of the internationalizing Caribbean firm. For example, one of the Barbadian cases describes a food caterer operating in ten countries in South, Central and North America.

The cases cover multiple industries including cement manufacturing, supermarkets, shipping, remittances, banking, tourism, rum production, shrimp harvesting, food manufacturing and airline catering, and reflect the conversations with practising managers, who raised such questions as, How does one define the Caribbean manager? How do we exploit our diaspora markets? How can small firms scale up? Where should we locate headquarters? What should be the role of regional governments? How do we pick allies and manage alliances?

The managerial challenges described are diverse: decision-makers from GraceKennedy, Goddards Enterprises or Trinidad Cement Group share practical experiences including decisions on marketing (e.g., pricing and retail locations); financing and accounting (e.g., alternative financing options); international strategy (e.g., alliances and take-overs); corporate governance; operations and personnel. All fifteen cases add to understanding emerging market multinationals, particularly those domiciled in small island developing states characterized by tiny internal markets, limited international influence and environmental fragility. They add insight to work on Caribbean entrepreneurship, business and economics and to studies of international business in developing countries.

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This cross-sectional study used a purposive sample of 379 high school students from fifteen urban and rural high schools in Guyana and assessed their HIV and AIDS knowledge and stigma-related attitudes, and the relationships among gender, age, religion, and race/ethnicity and HIV and AIDS knowledge. Most of the high school students displayed an overall moderate level of HIV and AIDS knowledge. The students understood the modes of HIV transmission; they recognized the symptoms of HIV and AIDS; nearly half of them believed that a blood donor was at risk of contracting HIV; and about one-fifth of the students embraced myths and misconceptions surrounding HIV and AIDS.

There was no statistically significant difference in the knowledge scores of male and female students. Knowledge scores, nevertheless, differed significantly between the 13 to 15 and 16 to 18 age groups, and among the religious and ethnic groups. Stigma-related attitude scores did not differ significantly for gender and age, but differed significantly for religion and ethnicity among students. The study showed fissures in HIV/AIDS knowledge and substantial stigma-related attitudes. Limited understanding of the myths and misconceptions of HIV and AIDS demands a new focus on how HIV is not transmitted through moving beyond conventional strategies toward a social constructivist approach.

This book is essential reading for medical professionals, policymakers and educators throughout the Caribbean region.