Empirical evidence Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The choice of a mode of market entry is a critical component of the internationalization strategy, and numerous empirical studies have focused on this topic. Prior research, however, has provided mixed empirical evidence and thus, is... more

The choice of a mode of market entry is a critical component of the internationalization strategy, and numerous empirical studies have focused on this topic. Prior research, however, has provided mixed empirical evidence and thus, is difficult to interpret and review. This study examines the external antecedents of the choice of entry mode by meta-analyzing data from 72 independent primary studies. We focus on the decision between wholly owned subsidiaries and cooperative entry modes. For each variable, hypotheses about the theoretically expected direction of effect are posited and tested. We find a strong positive relationship between power distance as a cultural trait of the firm's home country and the propensity to establish a wholly owned subsidiary. On the other hand, we find a negative association between country risk, legal restrictions, market growth, and market size and the preference for wholly owned subsidiaries. We extensively discuss the implications of the meta-analytical results and investigate moderating effects of industry type and the time of the study. The relationship between income level of the host country and entry mode depends, to some degree, on the industry type. Service companies exhibit a negative relationship between income level and wholly owned subsidiaries, while manufacturing companies show a positive relationship.

This article reports on the development and validation of the Italian SF-36 Health Survey using data from seven studies in which an Italian version of the SF-36 was administered to more than 7000 subjects between 1991 and 1995. Empirical... more

This article reports on the development and validation of the Italian SF-36 Health Survey using data from seven studies in which an Italian version of the SF-36 was administered to more than 7000 subjects between 1991 and 1995. Empirical findings from a wide array of studies and diseases indicate that the performance of the questionnaire improved as the Italian translation was revised and that it met the standards suggested by the literature in terms of feasibility, psychometric tests, and interpretability. This generally satisfactory picture strengthens the idea that the Italian SF-36 is as valid and reliable as the original instrument and applicable and valid across age, gender, and disease. Empirical evidence from a cross-sectional survey carried out to norm the final version in a representative sample of 2031 individuals confirms the questionnaire's characteristics in terms of hypothesized constructs and psychometric behavior and gives a better picture of its external validity (i.e., robustness and generalizability) when administered in settings that are very close to real world.

The decline and disappearance of a range of giant marsupials, reptiles and birds from the Australian landscape during the last Glacial cycle continues to capture the imagination of both researchers and the general public. The events... more

The decline and disappearance of a range of giant marsupials, reptiles and birds from the Australian landscape during the last Glacial cycle continues to capture the imagination of both researchers and the general public. The events hinted at in the Australian fossil sequences appear to be mirrored on other continents through similar time periods, though the exact cause or sequence of extinctions remains largely unresolved. In recent years debate over megafaunal extinctions in Australia has been dominated by reports that humans were the primary drivers, leading some to assert that it is no longer a question of whether humans drove these extinctions, only how. Following the review of Wroe and Field, new reports have been published that claim support for a human-driven extinction (HDE). On closer scrutiny however, the key sites and samples lack firm contextual data and/or clear provenance. These studies fail to prove a key tenet of the HDE e that all, or even most now-extinct species were present at the time of human colonization of the continent. As compared with the easy assertion 5 years ago that this had been established, there are now more faunal species (c. 69% of total known to have become extinct) that cannot be placed within 50e100 ka of human arrival. There are still only two sites that demonstrate a coexistence of humans with some species of megafauna e Nombe Rockshelter in the PNG highlands and Cuddie Springs in the semi-arid southeast of Australia. If there is so little empirical evidence for coexistence or association of megafauna with humans, then support for an HDE through overhunting and ecosystem disruption is seriously compromised. Furthermore, the popularly cited "extinction window", proposed as c. 51e39 ka when the HDE is argued to occur, is still only a theoretical construct. There is no clear evidence indicating that this period was particularly significant in terms of faunal loss. At present, the great majority of 'Pleistocene' sites remain poorly dated and the understanding of faunal turnover through this epoch is almost non-existent. Small datasets, poorly constructed hypotheses and assertive rhetoric are the prominent features of current discussions on a human role in megafaunal extinctions. Importantly, it is yet to be established whether the extinctions are an archaeological problem. The sparse fossil record known from Australia hampers a clear resolution as to how and when the megafauna disappeared, a situation likely to continue into the near future.

Children's emergent literacy has received considerable attention in the last decade. The modal view of emergent literacy is that it encompasses all aspects of children's oral and written language skills. The present article proposes an... more

Children's emergent literacy has received considerable attention in the last decade. The modal view of emergent literacy is that it encompasses all aspects of children's oral and written language skills. The present article proposes an alternative view whereby emergent literacy is a separate construct from oral language and metalinguistic skills. It is also proposed that emergent literacy is composed of two distinct components; children's conceptual knowledge (e.g., knowledge of the functions of print) and children's early procedural knowledge of writing and reading (e.g., invented spelling). Evidence is presented that supports this differentiated view of language and emergent literacy by showing that distinct patterns of relations exist among emergent literacy, oral language, and metalinguistic skills. It is concluded that separating the constructs of language and emergent literacy is an interesting alternative to current conceptions of emergent literacy. In time, such theoretical fine tuning will serve as better guides for policy and practice.

Purpose -Fundamentally, the success of schools depends on first-rate school leadership, on leaders reinforcing the teachers' willingness to adhere to the school's vision, creating a sense of purpose, binding them together and encouraging... more

Purpose -Fundamentally, the success of schools depends on first-rate school leadership, on leaders reinforcing the teachers' willingness to adhere to the school's vision, creating a sense of purpose, binding them together and encouraging them to engage in continuous learning. Leadership, vision and organizational learning are considered to be the key to school improvement. However, systematic empirical evidence of a direct relationship between leadership, vision and organizational learning is limited. The present study aims to explore the influence of principals' leadership style on school organizational learning, using school vision as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach -The data were collected from 1,474 teachers at 104 elementary schools in northern Israel, and aggregated to the school level.

This article analyzes the relationship between the usage of Internet-based technologies, different types of innovation, and performance at the firm level. Data for the empirical investigation originates from a sample of 7,302 European... more

This article analyzes the relationship between the usage of Internet-based technologies, different types of innovation, and performance at the firm level. Data for the empirical investigation originates from a sample of 7,302 European enterprises. The empirical results show that Internet-based technologies were an important enabler of innovation in the year 2003. It was found that all studied types of innovation, including Internet-enabled and non-Internet-enabled product or process innovations, are positively associated with turnover and employment growth.

At around four years of age several intellectual changes take place. Two changes that appear to be specifically related are concerned with the understanding of mental states: 'Theory of Mind' (ToM) and self control (Executive Function,... more

At around four years of age several intellectual changes take place. Two changes that appear to be specifically related are concerned with the understanding of mental states: 'Theory of Mind' (ToM) and self control (Executive Function, EF). Theory of mind is the ability to ascribe mental states, such as desires, beliefs, feelings and intentions to oneself and to other people. To know what people want, think, feel and intend enables one to make behavioural predictions about how people will act 1. Executive Function is a term for processes responsible for higher-level action control (e.g. planning, inhibition, coordination and control of action sequences) that are necessary in particular for maintaining a mentally specified goal and for bringing it to fruition against distracting alternatives 2. An important step in the development of a theory of mind that takes place around the age of 4 yrs is the understanding that one can be mistaken about the world, that is, to understand false belief 3,4 and the distinction between appearance and reality 5. Before that age, children have good understanding of how people will act depending on what they want to achieve, and understand that others are happy if they fulfil their wishes but are unhappy otherwise 6,7. However, young children appear incapable of understanding that people with a mistaken belief will often take the wrong action in pursuit of their goal. These children therefore do not manipulate others' behaviour by lying or deception 8-10. At about the same age that children outgrow these limitations they also improve markedly on self-control tasks that require suppression of some prepotent response in favour of a new response. An example of this type of task is a cardsorting task in which cards bearing pictures that vary in two dimensions (colour and shape) have to be sorted according to a rule ('sort by colour') determined by the experimenter. Younger children are able to sort the cards, but when the rule

Background: The organizational context in which healthcare is delivered is thought to play an important role in mediating the use of knowledge in practice. Additionally, a number of potentially modifiable contextual factors have been... more

Background: The organizational context in which healthcare is delivered is thought to play an important role in mediating the use of knowledge in practice. Additionally, a number of potentially modifiable contextual factors have been shown to make an organizational context more amenable to change. However, understanding of how these factors operate to influence organizational context and knowledge use remains limited. In particular, research to understand knowledge translation in the long-term care setting is scarce. Further research is therefore required to provide robust explanations of the characteristics of organizational context in relation to knowledge use. Aim: To develop a robust explanation of the way organizational context mediates the use of knowledge in practice in long-term care facilities. Design: This is longitudinal, in-depth qualitative case study research using exploratory and interpretive methods to explore the role of organizational context in influencing knowledge translation. The study will be conducted in two phases. In phase one, comprehensive case studies will be conducted in three facilities. Following data analysis and proposition development, phase two will continue with focused case studies to elaborate emerging themes and theory. Study sites will be purposively selected. In both phases, data will be collected using a variety of approaches, including non-participant observation, key informant interviews, family perspectives, focus groups, and documentary evidence (including, but not limited to, policies, notices, and photographs of physical resources). Data analysis will comprise an iterative process of identifying convergent evidence within each case study and then examining and comparing the evidence across multiple case studies to draw conclusions from the study as a whole. Additionally, findings that emerge through this project will be compared and considered alongside those that are emerging from project one. In this way, pattern matching based on explanation building will be used to frame the analysis and develop an explanation of organizational context and knowledge use over time. An improved understanding of the contextual factors that mediate knowledge use will inform future development and testing of interventions to enhance knowledge use, with the ultimate aim of improving the outcomes for residents in long-term care settings.

Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) builds on the portfolio theory and predicts that all investors hold the market portfolio in equilibrium and as such only systematic risks is priced. Yet empirical evidences on this important relation... more

Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) builds on the portfolio theory and predicts that all investors hold the market portfolio in equilibrium and as such only systematic risks is priced. Yet empirical evidences on this important relation have been yielding mixed results. While some show that idiosyncratic risk can as well be priced, others contradict this. In investigating whether idiosyncratic risks can be priced in the Nigerian stock market, we employed two-step estimation procedures, namely the time series procedure to determine the beta and idiosyncratic risk for each of the companies and the cross-sectional estimation procedure used on EGARCH model to investigate the impact of these risks on the stock market returns. Our result reveals that systematic risk is priced while the idiosyncratic risk is not priced. Thus, investors in the Nigerian stock market seem to fully diversify away firms specific risk while holding market portfolio. The study also found that volatility clustering ...

Concepts like regional innovation systems, innovative milieu, and learning regions emphasize the positive contribution of intra-regional cooperation to firms' innovation performance. Despite substantial numbers of case studies, the... more

Concepts like regional innovation systems, innovative milieu, and learning regions emphasize the positive contribution of intra-regional cooperation to firms' innovation performance. Despite substantial numbers of case studies, the quantitative empirical evidence for this claim is thin. Using data on the co-application and coinvention of patents for 270 German labor market regions the study shows that intraregional cooperation intensity and regional innovation efficiency are associated. In contrast to the negative influence of interregional cooperation, medium levels of intra-regional cooperation stimulate regional innovation efficiency.

There is growing empirical evidence of buprenorphine's effectiveness in treating opioid dependence in community-based settings in the U.S. Decades of research indicates that in order for buprenorphine to have a sizable effect, it must be... more

There is growing empirical evidence of buprenorphine's effectiveness in treating opioid dependence in community-based settings in the U.S. Decades of research indicates that in order for buprenorphine to have a sizable effect, it must be appropriately supported by behavioral counseling. Studies to date have not established the optimal behavioral counseling content for supporting buprenorphine treatment. The objective of this article is: 1) to review evidence of the key treatment-relevant issues posed by opioid-dependent patients in community-based settings in the U.S.; and 2) to review behavioral counseling content that may optimize the use of buprenorphine for treating opioid dependence in such settings. Evidence points toward the use of behavioral counseling aimed at enhancing patients' motivation during treatment entry followed by an emphasis on improving coping/ relapse prevention skills during the primary phase of treatment.

During a period where Japanese banks operated under a less restrictive regulatory environment, 1986-1988, we find positive relations between bank risks and ownership concentration. This empirical evidence suggests that shareholder... more

During a period where Japanese banks operated under a less restrictive regulatory environment, 1986-1988, we find positive relations between bank risks and ownership concentration. This empirical evidence suggests that shareholder monitoring is present when the potential return to monitoring is high (the "shareholder monitoring hypothesis"). During the periods before and after this particular period, we do not observe evidence of shareholder oversight. These results are consistent with the argument that regulation (an external governance mechanism) and shareholder monitoring (an internal governance mechanism) are substitutes for one another (the "substitution hypothesis") because the pre-and post-periods are characterized by stricter regulatory environments. Finally, tests on bank performance lend supporting evidence to both hypotheses.

The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has measured muon pairs with unprecedented precision in 158A GeV In-In collisions. A strong excess of pairs above the known sources is observed in the whole mass region 0.2<M<2.6 GeV. The mass... more

The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has measured muon pairs with unprecedented precision in 158A GeV In-In collisions. A strong excess of pairs above the known sources is observed in the whole mass region 0.2<M<2.6 GeV. The mass spectrum for M<1 GeV is consistent with a dominant contribution from pi+pi- -> rho -> mu+mu- annihilation. The associated rho spectral function shows a strong broadening, but essentially no shift in mass. For M>1 GeV, the excess is found to be prompt, not due to enhanced charm production, with pronounced differences to Drell-Yan pairs. The slope parameter Teff associated with the transverse momentum spectra rises with mass up to the rho, followed by a sudden decline above. The rise for M<1 GeV is consistent with radial flow of a hadronic emission source. The seeming absence of significant flow for M>1 GeV and its relation to parton-hadron duality is discussed in detail, suggesting a dominantly partonic emission source in this region. ...

As the increasing prevalence of obesity in the world, how to prevent increasing body weight has became important policy issue. This paper addresses this issue using the behavioral economic models to empirically test food consumption... more

As the increasing prevalence of obesity in the world, how to prevent increasing body weight has became important policy issue. This paper addresses this issue using the behavioral economic models to empirically test food consumption behaviors and self-control problem. In contrast to replying on experimental evidence of the behavioral economic studies, age cohort data are constructed for households in Taiwan and food away from home and several categories of food consumption at home are recognized. Results show that self-control problem are evident for food away from home, and the effects are more pronounced for younger age cohorts. In contrast, staple and secondary food consumption at home are more stable across life-time periods and no self-control problem is evident.

This study develops a new KOSPI200 implied volatility index and examines its informational content and nonlinear dynamics. The construction of this new benchmark for volatility expectations follows the methodology for calculating the new... more

This study develops a new KOSPI200 implied volatility index and examines its informational content and nonlinear dynamics. The construction of this new benchmark for volatility expectations follows the methodology for calculating the new VIX index from S&P500 options. The empirical evidence suggests that the expected level of volatility in the Korean stock market has been steadily falling since the inception of option trading and the onset of the Asian financial crisis. Implied volatility is found to reflect useful information on future volatility that is not contained in the history of returns, even after allowing for leverage effects. Markov regime-switching models suggest that nonlinearities in volatility expectations are not likely to be driven solely by the asymmetric impact of news but also by regime-dependencies in the realignment mechanism adjusting for forecast errors. The adjustment process is likely to be significant during regimes of lower volatility expectations but financial crises seem to elevate the level of anticipated volatility and impair its adaptive dynamics.

We examine the level of persistence in the unemployment gap across both race and gender in the United States. The empirical evidence suggests that all unemployment gaps exhibit low levels of persistence. While the gender unemployment gap... more

We examine the level of persistence in the unemployment gap across both race and gender in the United States. The empirical evidence suggests that all unemployment gaps exhibit low levels of persistence. While the gender unemployment gap has disappeared and stabilized in the post-1980 period, there continues to be a substantial gap between the unemployment rates of blacks and whites.

Background Indonesia is one of the largest consumers of tobacco in the world, however there has been little work done on the economics addiction of tobacco. This study provides an empirical test of a rational addiction (henceforth RA)... more

Background Indonesia is one of the largest consumers of tobacco in the world, however there has been little work done on the economics addiction of tobacco. This study provides an empirical test of a rational addiction (henceforth RA) hypothesis of cigarette demand in Indonesia. Methods Four estimators (OLS, 2SLS, GMM, and System-GMM) were explored to test the RA hypothesis. The author adopted several diagnostics tests to select the best estimator to overcome econometric problems faced in presence of the past and future cigarette consumption (suspected endogenous variables). A short-run and long-run price elasticities of cigarettes demand was then calculated. The model was applied to individuals pooled data derived from three-waves a panel of the Indonesian Family Life Survey spanning the period 1993-2000. Results The past cigarette consumption coefficients turned out to be a positive with a p -value Conclusions Health policymakers should redesign current public health campaign against cigarette smoking in the country. Given the demand for cigarettes to be more prices sensitive for the long run (and female) than the short run (and male), an increase in the price of cigarettes could lead to a significant fall in cigarette consumption in the long run rather than as a constant source of government revenue.

Introduction HIV infection is increasingly characterized as a chronic condition that can be managed through adherence to a healthy lifestyle, complex drug regimens, and regular treatment and monitoring. The location, quality, and/or... more

Introduction HIV infection is increasingly characterized as a chronic condition that can be managed through adherence to a healthy lifestyle, complex drug regimens, and regular treatment and monitoring. The location, quality, and/or affordability of a person's housing can be a significant determinant of his or her ability to meet these requirements. The objective of this systematic review is to inform program and policy development and future research by examining the available empirical evidence on the effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods Electronic databases were searched from dates of inception through November 2005. A total of 29 studies met inclusion criteria for this review. Seventeen studies received a ''good'' or ''fair'' quality rating based on defined criteria. Results A significant positive association between increased housing stability and better health-related outcomes was noted in all studies examining housing status with outcomes of medication adherence (n = 9), utilization of health and social services (n = 5), and studies examining health status (n = 2) and HIV risk behaviours (n = 1). Conclusions Healthcare, support workers and public health policy should recognize the important impact of affordable and sustainable housing on the health of persons living with HIV.

This paper formulates the problem of bilateral aid allocation in terms of the comparative advantage framework. It is argued that the adaptability of this framework to foreign aid critically depends on the assumption that each donor's aid... more

This paper formulates the problem of bilateral aid allocation in terms of the comparative advantage framework. It is argued that the adaptability of this framework to foreign aid critically depends on the assumption that each donor's aid budget is spent to a large extent on its home market.

We use cooperative game theory to analyze the power structure in the pipeline network for Russian gas. If the assessment is narrowly focussed on the abilities to obstruct flows in the existing system, the main transit countries, Belarus... more

We use cooperative game theory to analyze the power structure in the pipeline network for Russian gas. If the assessment is narrowly focussed on the abilities to obstruct flows in the existing system, the main transit countries, Belarus and Ukraine, appear to be strong. Once investment options are accounted for, Russia achieves clear dominance. Competition between transit countries is of little strategic relevance compared to Russia's direct access to its customers. Comparing our theoretical results with empirical evidence, we find that the Shapley value explains the power of major transit countries better than the core and the nucleolus. JEL: L95, F50, D43

The paper extends the Robbins and Pearce (1992) two-stage turnaround response model to include governance factors. In addition to retrenchment and recovery, the paper proposes the addition of a realignment stage, referring specifically to... more

The paper extends the Robbins and Pearce (1992) two-stage turnaround response model to include governance factors. In addition to retrenchment and recovery, the paper proposes the addition of a realignment stage, referring specifically to the realignment of expectations of principal and agent groups. The realignment stage imposes a threshold that must be crossed before the retrenchment and hence recovery stage can be entered. Crossing this threshold is problematic to the extent that the interests of governance-stakeholder groups diverge in a crisis situation. The severity of the crisis impacts on the bases of strategy contingent asset valuation leading to the fragmentation of stakeholder interests. In some cases the consequence may be that management are prevented from carrying out turnarounds by governance constraints. The paper uses a case study to illustrate these dynamics, and like the Robbins and Pearce study, it focuses on the textile industry. A longitudinal approach is used to show the impact of the removal of governance constraints. The empirical evidence suggests that such financial constraints become less serious to the extent that there is a functioning market for corporate control. Building on governance research and turnaround literature, the paper also outlines the general case necessary and sufficient conditions for successful turnarounds.

Longitudinal neuroimaging studies demonstrate that the adolescent brain continues to mature well into the 20s. This has prompted intense interest in linking neuromaturation to maturity of judgment. Public policy is struggling to keep up... more

Longitudinal neuroimaging studies demonstrate that the adolescent brain continues to mature well into the 20s. This has prompted intense interest in linking neuromaturation to maturity of judgment. Public policy is struggling to keep up with burgeoning interest in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging. However, empirical evidence linking neurodevelopmental processes and adolescent real-world behavior remains sparse. Nonetheless, adolescent brain development research is already shaping public policy debates about when individuals should be considered mature for policy purposes. With this in mind, in this article we summarize what is known about adolescent brain development and what remains unknown, as well as what neuroscience can and cannot tell us about the adolescent brain and behavior. We suggest that a conceptual framework that situates brain science in the broader context of adolescent developmental research would help to facilitate research-topolicy translation. Furthermore, although contemporary discussions of adolescent maturity and the brain often use a deficit-based approach, there is enormous opportunity for brain science to illuminate the great strengths and potentialities of the adolescent brain. So, too, can this information inform policies that promote adolescent health and well-being.

We estimate the potential effects of FDI inflows on exports in 12 Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies for the period between 1996 and 2004. We separate the effects of FDI into supply capacity-increasing effects and FDI-specific... more

We estimate the potential effects of FDI inflows on exports in 12 Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies for the period between 1996 and 2004. We separate the effects of FDI into supply capacity-increasing effects and FDI-specific effects. The supply capacityincreasing effects arise when FDI inflows increase the host country's production capacity, which, in turn, increase export supply potential. The FDI-specific effects arise because the multinational company may have superior knowledge and technology, better information about export markets, or better contact to the supply chain of the parent firm than do local firms. Our empirical results indicate that, for all countries in our sample, FDI has increased domestic supply-capacity and hence exports. However, FDI-specific effects on exports are observed only in the new member states of the European Union.

The present paper investigates the link between the shadow economy and FDI using the Granger panel causality test. For that purpose we use the shadow economy and FDI data for 145 countries of five data points 1999/2000, 2001/2002,... more

The present paper investigates the link between the shadow economy and FDI using the Granger panel causality test. For that purpose we use the shadow economy and FDI data for 145 countries of five data points 1999/2000, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. The system GMM estimation results show that FDI causes the shadow economy and vice versa. The empirical evidence supports the hypotheses that higher FDI causes lower shadow economy and higher shadow economy causes higher FDI.

One of the most controversial topics in recent economic literature concerns the determinants of the real exchange rate. In spite of the lack of theoretical consensus on how to determine the real exchange rate, empirical literature has... more

One of the most controversial topics in recent economic literature concerns the determinants of the real exchange rate. In spite of the lack of theoretical consensus on how to determine the real exchange rate, empirical literature has shown that exchange rate overvaluation has negative effects on long-term economic growth. This paper theoretically discusses and empirically analyses these determining factors of the real exchange rate in Brazil in the 2000s. The Brazilian economy has shown a tendency of real overvaluation of its currency since high inflation was controlled in the mid-1990s. This tendency has only been interrupted by occasional internal or external shocks. Our empirical study is a modified version of the econometric model proposed by Razin and Collins (1999). Like these authors, our theoretical and empirical models break down the determining factors of the actual real exchange rate into long-term and short-term factors. However, while Razin and Collins (1999) assume th...

The repeat-sales model controls quality by utilizing the transacted prices of the same items in different time periods. However, this methodology suffers from non-randomness of the data, implying that a sample based only on repeat-sales... more

The repeat-sales model controls quality by utilizing the transacted prices of the same items in different time periods. However, this methodology suffers from non-randomness of the data, implying that a sample based only on repeat-sales items may not represent the population of properties. To address this potential problem, the Heckman two-stage procedure has been applied to a sample of Picasso prints over the period 1988-1995 as registered in the 1995 edition of the Mayer International Auction Records on CD-ROM. Empirical evidence shows that the selection corrected repeat-sales model yields substantially better goodness of fit than the estimated standard repeat-sales specification.

In an operational situation companies both deliver and develop products, with continuous demands for shorter cycle times. This increases the importance of learning. It is argued here that companies do not fully exploit their experience... more

In an operational situation companies both deliver and develop products, with continuous demands for shorter cycle times. This increases the importance of learning. It is argued here that companies do not fully exploit their experience from previous projects. The same mistakes tend to occur from project to project. Yet it is shown with the help of empirical evidence, from five product development projects, that by introducing simple managerial principles which activate organisational learning, companies can improve their efficiency. I1 is also argued that modem and interactive communication tools provide a means for managing and acquiring a better understanding of physically dispersed product development and manufacturing operations. It is concluded that by establishing clear documentation protocols to track the evolution of the product during its life cycle and by exploiting the modem communication media to implement simple managerial principles, project management can master the dispersed multi-project environment of today's manufacturing companies better. At its best, organisational learning can be a continuous and self-feeding process catalysed by advanced on-line metrics visualising the product development process.

Drawing on the responses provided by a survey of state court judges (N = 400), empirical evidence is presented with respect to judges' opinions about the Daubert criteria, their utility as decision-making guidelines, the level to which... more

Drawing on the responses provided by a survey of state court judges (N = 400), empirical evidence is presented with respect to judges' opinions about the Daubert criteria, their utility as decision-making guidelines, the level to which judges understand their scientific meaning, and how they might apply them when evaluating the admissibility of expert evidence. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to obtain a representative sample of state court judges. Part I of the survey was a structured telephone interview (response rate of 71%) and in Part II, respondents had an option of completing the survey by telephone or receiving a questionnaire in the mail (response rate of 81%). Survey results demonstrate that judges overwhelmingly support the "gatekeeping" role as defined by Daubert, irrespective of the admissibility standard followed in their state. However, many of the judges surveyed lacked the scientific literacy seemingly necessitated by Daubert. Judges had the most difficulty operationalizing falsifiability and error rate, with only 5% of the respondents demonstrating a clear understanding of falsifiability and only 4% demonstrating a clear understanding of error rate. Although there was little consensus about the relative importance of the guidelines, judges attributed more weight to general acceptance as an admissibility criterion. Although most judges agreed that a distinction could be made between "scientific" and "technical or otherwise specialized" knowledge, the ability to apply the Daubert guidelines appeared to have little bearing on whether specific types of expert evidence

In this article we discuss the salient features of the classical and neoclassical theories of competition and we test their fundamental propositions using data from Greek manufacturing industries. The cross section data of 3-digit (total... more

In this article we discuss the salient features of the classical and neoclassical theories of competition and we test their fundamental propositions using data from Greek manufacturing industries. The cross section data of 3-digit (total 91) industries of the three (pooled together) census years show no evidence of a direct statistical relationship between the degree of concentration and profitability. The

There is now a plethora of non-linear time-series models of output over the business cycle, and considerable empirical evidence that there are key non-linear, poorly understood mechanisms at work. Though they account for a small part of... more

There is now a plethora of non-linear time-series models of output over the business cycle, and considerable empirical evidence that there are key non-linear, poorly understood mechanisms at work. Though they account for a small part of the total #ow of national income, inventories play a disproportionately large role in #uctuations in output. It would seem natural to try to determine what role inventories play in the non-linear behaviour of the business cycle. The "rst question is, are there economic models of "rm behaviour suggesting that the movement of inventories over the business cycle is non-linear? The second issue is whether we can detect such non-linearity in the data. In this paper we use data on the aggregate behaviour of UK manufacturing, but disaggregated according to the stage of fabrication. We "nd that the asymmetric adjustment of inventories varies with the stage of fabrication.

Objective: Little empirical evidence exists to support either side of the ongoing debate over whether legalising physician aid in dying would undermine patient trust. Design: A random national sample of 1117 US adults were asked about... more

Objective: Little empirical evidence exists to support either side of the ongoing debate over whether legalising physician aid in dying would undermine patient trust. Design: A random national sample of 1117 US adults were asked about their level of agreement with a statement that they would trust their doctor less if ''euthanasia were legal [and] doctors were allowed to help patients die''. Results: There was disagreement by 58% of the participants, and agreement by only 20% that legalising euthanasia would cause them to trust their personal physician less. The remainder were neutral. These attitudes were the same in men and women, but older people and black people had more agreement that euthanasia would lower trust. However, overall, only 27% of elderly people (age 65+) and 32% of black people thought that physician aid in dying would lower trust. These views differed with physical and mental health, and also with education and income, with those having more of these attributes tending to view physician aid in dying somewhat more favourably. Again, however, overall views in most of these subgroups were positive. Views about the effect of physician aid in dying on trust were significantly correlated with participants' underlying trust in their physicians and their satisfaction with care. In a multivariate regression model, trust, satisfaction, age, and white/black race remained independently significant. Conclusion: Despite the widespread concern that legalising physician aid in dying would seriously threaten or undermine trust in physicians, the weight of the evidence in the USA is to the contrary, although views vary significantly.

One of the key agreements adopted at the Rio Conference in 1992 was the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Both in practice and research biodiversity has been mainly addressed in a non-urban context, often discussed in relation to... more

One of the key agreements adopted at the Rio Conference in 1992 was the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Both in practice and research biodiversity has been mainly addressed in a non-urban context, often discussed in relation to issues such as the depletion of rainforests and desertification. However, as more than half of the world population are urban dwellers, it is increasingly urgent to discuss the application of the concept of biodiversity within an urban context. Issues approached in this article are: What does it mean to talk about biodiversity in an urban context? Is biodiversity a meaningful goal for urban politics and planning? Is there empirical evidence of implementing biodiversity in urban politics and planning? After an introduction, the article is organized into four sections. In the second section the concept of biological diversity is defined with special reference to its application in an urban context. Biodiversity and its relationship to urban governance is the topic of the third section, followed by a section analysing examples of how this relationship is practised in selected Swedish cities. The final section highlights five major conclusions with regard to the application of biodiversity in an urban context: (1) that all cities studied have adopted overall 'green' policies, including biodiversity as one component; (2) that local coalitions in favour of implementing biodiversity have been established between employees at different offices, between employees and politicians, and between employees and NGOs; (3) that there are in all cases tangible signs of spatial patterns and structures that are favourable to biodiversity; (4) that urban biodiversity, for its successful implementation, needs to be related, and accommodated to other values given priority in current policymaking, such as recreation; (5) that mainstream biodiversity analysis should be complemented by an urban landscape approach. Finally, the article returns to the more general question of what biodiversity could and should mean in urban planning.

This paper reviews the literature on safety culture, placing particular focus on research undertaken from 1998 onwards. The term culture is clariWed as it is typically applied to organizations, to safety, and particularly to construction... more

This paper reviews the literature on safety culture, placing particular focus on research undertaken from 1998 onwards. The term culture is clariWed as it is typically applied to organizations, to safety, and particularly to construction safety. Some clariWcation in terms of positive safety culture, safety culture models, levels of aggregation and safety performance is provided by presenting appropriate empirical evidence and its theoretical developments. In general, safety culture is thought to inXuence employees' attitudes and behavior in relation to an organization's ongoing health and safety performance. Implications for future research in the area are addressed, as in recent years safety culture has become the focus of much attention in all industries, including the construction industry.

Relevance, nature and economic effects of innovation activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) are highly debated topics in the current literature on “globalisation of technology”. A controversial theme concerns the innovation... more

Relevance, nature and economic effects of innovation activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) are highly debated topics in the current literature on “globalisation of technology”. A controversial theme concerns the innovation strategies of foreign affiliates (FAs) and the role they play in host countries. This paper sheds new light on this topic using data provided by the second Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2). In particular the paper aims at: i. assessing the technological contribution of FAs in a host country (i.e. Italy) by comparing the innovation performances and strategies of FAs and domestic firms; ii. identifying and qualifying the main patterns of innovative activities of MNCs. The empirical evidence presented shows that FAs and domestic firms differ from each other more in terms of “type of innovation strategies ” pursued by the firms than in terms of “innovation performances”. However, innovation strategies of FAs present a high degree of heterogeneity, being a...

People often do not realize they are being influenced by an incidental emotional state. As a result, decisions based on a fleeting incidental emotion can become the basis for future decisions and hence outlive the original cause for the... more

People often do not realize they are being influenced by an incidental emotional state. As a result, decisions based on a fleeting incidental emotion can become the basis for future decisions and hence outlive the original cause for the behavior (i.e., the emotion itself). Using a sequence of ultimatum and dictator games, we provide empirical evidence for the enduring impact of transient emotions on economic decision making. Behavioral consistency and false consensus are presented as potential underlying processes.

He has taught in various international and executive programmes in Canada, Japan and China, and his researchprimarily in the area of derivativeshas appeared in various reputable journals. Practical applications This research designs and... more

He has taught in various international and executive programmes in Canada, Japan and China, and his researchprimarily in the area of derivativeshas appeared in various reputable journals. Practical applications This research designs and then empirically tests trading strategies based on information implicit in the distribution of open interests across various strike prices of equity call and put options. The results suggest that the open-interest based trading strategies have the potential to generate enhanced trading returns or lower trading losses. Accordingly, investors should watch for information implicit not just in option prices but also in option market activity.

Considerable controversy has surrounded the use of computerized performance monitoring (CPM) by employers. Critics of this technology contend that CPM usage raises serious ethical concerns. Beliefs that the use of computerized performance... more

Considerable controversy has surrounded the use of computerized performance monitoring (CPM) by employers. Critics of this technology contend that CPM usage raises serious ethical concerns. Beliefs that the use of computerized performance monitors results in unfair performance evaluation, stress and health problems underlie much of the current concern over this technology. A field study was undertaken to provide empirical evidence that could be used to guide the design and use of computerized performance monitors to minimize these problems. One hundred fort T three members of the Communication Workers of America participated in a cross sectional field study. The study examined the relationship between various monitoring system characteristics and employees' health problems, stress and satisfaction with the performance evaluation process. The ethical implications of the results are discussed.

The Internal Ratings Based approach for the determination of required buffer capital is one of the cornerstones in the proposed revision of the Basel Committee rules for bank regulation. This paper is an attempt to empirically evaluate... more

The Internal Ratings Based approach for the determination of required buffer capital is one of the cornerstones in the proposed revision of the Basel Committee rules for bank regulation. This paper is an attempt to empirically evaluate the IRB approach using historical business loan portfolio data from 1994 to 2000 for a major Swedish bank. In particular, we study how the bank's risk weighted assets change over time (had the bank been subject to the proposed rules). In order to better interpret the calculated risk-weighted capital as given by the new Accord, we have estimated a credit risk model. A VaR-type credit risk measure derived by simulation from the credit risk model allows us to better judge how adequate IRB-determined buffer capital is.

This paper tests traditional capital structure models against the alternative of a pecking order model of corporate financing. The basic pecking order model, which predicts external debt financing driven by the internal financial deficit,... more

This paper tests traditional capital structure models against the alternative of a pecking order model of corporate financing. The basic pecking order model, which predicts external debt financing driven by the internal financial deficit, has much greater timeseries explanatory power than a static tradeoff model, which predicts that each firm adjusts gradually toward an optimal debt ratio. We show that our tests have the power to reject the pecking order against alternative tradeoff hypotheses. The statistical power of some usual tests of the tradeoff model is virtually nil.

We would like to thank Sue Dynarski and participants at the NBER Higher Education Seminar for comments. We are grateful to Michelle Reininger and Michelle Bales for research assistance. Two anonymous referees have provided thoughtful... more

We would like to thank Sue Dynarski and participants at the NBER Higher Education Seminar for comments. We are grateful to Michelle Reininger and Michelle Bales for research assistance. Two anonymous referees have provided thoughtful comments and constructive suggestions. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

In recent years, the public sector has been the subject of a thorough reassessment in a significant number of countries. During this process of modernization, issues such as interorganizational collaboration and managerial innovation have... more

In recent years, the public sector has been the subject of a thorough reassessment in a significant number of countries. During this process of modernization, issues such as interorganizational collaboration and managerial innovation have been progressively placed at the forefront of practice and research. In particular, a number of countries have recently re-organized their public sectors around more or less formalized networks or hybrid inter-organizational forms, which are often led by a regulatory body and governed by a cooperation agreement. The literature on inter-organizational relationships in the public sector has evolved alongside the development of such cooperation agreements and innovative forms of organizing. Nevertheless, despite the fact that networks formed by public organizations, not-for-profit organizations, and private firms provide important services to their relevant communities, limited attention has been dedicated to studying the role of management control practices within inter-organizational relationships in public organizations. This is an important gap in the existing literature that this Special Issue intends to address. For this reason, and most importantly because public sector forms of interorganizational collaborations are likely to differ significantly from those observed in the private sector, in the first part of this Editorial we draw attention to some of the themes that characterize the management and control of inter-organizational relations in the domain of public administration. Next, we introduce the six papers which comprise this Special Issue, and we briefly illustrate how each of them enhances our understanding of the role of control systems within public sector networks. Building on the empirical evidence and theoretical arguments offered by these studies, and after a brief review on the possible alternative ways of conceptualizing the process of adopting new management practices, we point to the further research that needs to be done if we are to understand the role that management control practices play in public sector networks. In particular, we suggest that there is a need to look inside management control practices, to explore what these practices are and, how and why they enable the cooperative "ideal" to become real, as well as to stimulate or hinder opportunities for public sector managerial innovation. It is concluded that there are a number of issues yet to be explored if we are to deepen our understanding of the formal and informal mechanisms of control which are the active elements of the so-called "regulatory hybrids" in the public sector.

Open-source communities are innovative online communities, some of which have recently attracted increasing attention. The study suggests that members of innovative online communities learn and build collective knowledge through the use... more

Open-source communities are innovative online communities, some of which have recently attracted increasing attention. The study suggests that members of innovative online communities learn and build collective knowledge through the use of 'technologies' and the establishment of discursive practices that enable virtual re- experience. Theories of knowledge creation and learning have been reviewed and a social- experiential view of learning

Secrecy, information withholding, and material transfer agreements are typical phenomena of commerce, the logic of which is motivated by profit maximisation, which why they do not represent a problem in for-profit research practices but... more

Secrecy, information withholding, and material transfer agreements are typical phenomena of commerce, the logic of which is motivated by profit maximisation, which why they do not represent a problem in for-profit research practices but they do raise issues in not-for-profit research. The aim of this article is to put into perspective the empirical evidence critically visà-vis commonly accepted concerns formulated in a Mertonian perspective for the case of academic science, and the case of academic commercialisation from the perspective of the anticommons theory. In this respect, empiric scholars have used statistical evidence in survey of perceptions and dedicated measures through bibliometrics. The challenges faced by the scholars interested in secrecy, data withholding and material transfer agreements are similar to the measurement problems that other epistemic communities in the social sciences are facing. Further research in the field is needed to develop comprehensive theories that integrate diverse results from statistical and anecdotal evidence that currently are considered separately.