Majority voting on orders

We characterize two lexicographic-type preference extension rules from a set X to the set of all orders on this set. Elements of X are interpreted as basic economic policy decisions, whereas elements of are conceived as political programs among which a collectivity has to choose through majority voting. The main axiom is called tournament-consistency, and states that whenever majority pairwise comparisons based on initial preferences on X define an order on X, then this order is also chosen by a majority among all other orders in . Tournament-consistency thus allows to predict the outcome of majority voting upon orders from the knowledge of majority preferences on their components.     

Instability and Convergence Under Simple-Majority Rule: Results from Simulation of Committee Choice in Two-Dimensional Space

Nondeterministic models of collective choice posit convergence among the outcomes of simple-majority decisions. The object of this research is to estimate the extent of convergence of majority choice under different procedural conditions. The paper reports results from a computer simulation of simple-majority decision making by committees. Simulation experiments generate distributions of majority-adopted proposals in two-dimensional space. These represent nondeterministic outcomes of majority choice by committees. The proposal distributions provide data for a quantitative evaluation of committee-choice procedures in respect to outcome convergence. Experiments were run under general conditions, and under conditions that restrict committee choice to several game-theoretic solution sets. The findings are that, compared to distributions of voter ideal points, majority-adopted proposals confined to the solution sets demonstrate different degrees of convergence. Second, endogenous agenda formation is a more important obstacle to convergence than the inherent instability of simple-majority rule. Third, if members maximize preferences in respect to agenda formation, a committee choice that approximates the central tendency of the distribution of voter preferences is unlikely. The conclusion is that the most effective way to increase the convergence of majority choice is to restrict the role of individual preferences in agenda formation: identification of proposals to be voted up or down by a committee. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Optimality of the Expert and Majority Rules Under Exponentially Distributed Competence

We study the uncertain dichotomous choice model. In this model a set of decision makers is required to select one of two alternatives, say support or reject a certain proposal. Applications of this model are relevant to many areas, such as political science, economics, business and management. The purpose of this paper is to estimate and compare the probabilities that different decision rules may be optimal. We consider the expert rule, the majority rule and a few in-between rules. The information on the decisional skills is incomplete, and these skills arise from an exponential distribution. It turns out that the probability that the expert rule is optimal far exceeds the probability that the majority rule is optimal, especially as the number of the decision makers becomes large.     

居委会负担的成因及其消解

居委会负担繁重成为现实困扰居委会的一大难题。这是社会问题社区化、政府职能社会化、社区草根组织发育滞后以及居委会自身建设相对滞后等多种因素共同作用的结果。为居委会减负必须理顺政府与社区之间的关系，大力扶持和培养社区草根组织，加大居委会自身建设的力度。     

居委会负担的成因及其消解

居委会负担繁重成为现实困扰居委会的一大难题。这是社会问题社区化、政府职能社会化、社区草根组织发育滞后以及居委会自身建设相对滞后等多种因素共同作用的结果。为居委会减负必须理顺政府与社区之间的关系,大力扶持和培养社区草根组织,加大居委会自身建设的力度。     

Calculable Power: A Case Study of IMF Quotas and Voting Rights Reform*

Voting procedure is an important mechanism for public choice in collective bodies such as international organizations. This paper measures and compares IMF member countries’ voting power before the 2008 reform and after the 2010 reform on the basis of datasets on IMF quotas and voting rights distribution provided by IMF. Our study verifies that IMF’s quotas and voting rights reforms do help to reduce the voting power gap among member countries. The 2008 and 2010 reforms produce a greater improvement in emerging members’ voting power under the 70 percent majority rule than the 85 percent rule; the 70 percent majority rule means the United States would lose its absolute veto. Moreover, the paper disproves the underlying assumption that regards a member’s voting power as proportional to its voting rights. Countries with different amounts of voting rights can still have the same voting power.     

残疾人专职委员队伍建设的调查与思考

当前一支数量充足的残疾人专职委员队伍已基本形成，提高队伍素质成为新时期残疾人专职委员队伍建设的重心。调查发现新上岗残疾人专职委员结构更加合理，全身心投入工作岗位意识较强，但是残疾人事业相关理论素养和服务技能不足，开展工作力不从心，本文提出理论层面上需要加强残疾人专职委员专业化建设模式的研究，实践层面上需要积极推进残疾人专职委员专业化人才培养和培训工作，并重点在培训内容、形式和对象上提出了相关意见和建议。     

Borda and Condorcet: Some Distance Results

This paper provides a distance based analysis of the Borda rule with respect to Condorcet’s criterion. It shows that the minimal Condorcet consistency present in the Borda rule, whenever a Condorcet winner (the alternative that wins against every other alternative in a pairwise contest) exists, disappears in the case of voting cycles. First, it is shown that for certain preference profiles the Borda winner is furthest from being a Condorcet winner. Second, it is shown that there exist preference profiles for which the Borda winner is closest from being a Condorcet loser (the alternative that loses against every other alternative in a pairwise contest).     

Diversity‐related employee attitudes and perceptions in Bangladesh: A case study on the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee

Bangladesh is perceived as homogenous, often resulting in hidden discrimination for those considered to belong to minority groups. Little research has been conducted on the characteristics of diversity as predictors of work attitude and behavior in relation to organizational commitment and job performance in Bangladesh. This study examines conditions in a leading international, non‐governmental development organization, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). The purpose of this study is to explore employees' perceptions and work attitudes and how these relate to organizational commitment and job performance. A phenomenological research strategy was used to understand the unique culture of Bangladesh and workplace diversity at BRAC. Data was collected through in‐depth interviews with BRAC employees currently working in the head office, using a purposive, convenient sampling method. Both positive and negative feelings and perceptions were revealed: positive factors include gender sensitivity in the workplace, positive organizational support, organizational goodwill, organizational culture, and longer tenure and seniority; negative factors include job insecurity, dissatisfaction with salary grades and gaps, promotions, and issues pertaining to disabilities, ethnicity, and supervisors' evaluations. These results have implications for organizational and governmental policy.     

Structural social work and the compatibility of NGO approaches: a case analysis of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)

This article offers a comparative analysis between the ideological orientation of structural social work (SSW) and the programmatic orientation of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). SSW sees social problems as arising from specific socio-economic contexts rather than from the failings of individuals. This perspective recognises that patriarchy is a central feature of life in Bangladesh. BRAC analyses poverty, broadly defined, from a perspective that is political, making use of feminist principles. By assessing SSW as it pertains to the programme coverage of BRAC, this article presents the consistencies and inconsistencies of the approaches. Yet, SSW and BRAC share a common objective of shifting the locus of power to facilitate the empowerment of marginalised communities.     

社区居委会为老服务的现状及发展路径——基于NT市X街道HJ社区的实证分析

社区居委会是社区为老服务的重要主体。通过实证分析发现,社区居委会为老服务取得成效之时,也存在着户籍管理制度,老人心理、生理特性和为老服务资源等方面的问题。因此必须建立非在籍老人登记制度;采用社工技巧加强与社区老人的沟通;开发和整合社区居委会为老服务的人力和财力资源。     

Children's and Adolescents' Decisions about Sharing Money with Others

Two hundred and ninety-four participants aged between 7 and 17 years of age were asked to share out money between themselves and another, imaginary group. Individual responses were recorded as well as responses after discussion in a group with two other participants. The distribution task took place in two different experimental conditions that either gave participants a free choice about how much to offer to the other group or involved making a strategic offer to avoid the other group rejecting an offer and losing all the money. From 10 years of age onwards, when allowed to choose freely how much to share, boys made progressively less generous offers than girls whereas girls' offers remained the same with age. However, when inter-group strategic constraints were present, there were few gender differences from 10 years of age. The order in which games were presented was a powerful influence on the offers that participants made.