Population growth trends in India: 1991 census

The decennial census counted the total population of India at 843.931 million as of the sunrise of March 1, 1991. The total is 160.6 million higher than that of a decade earlier in 1981. The actual census count exceeded by 45 million the official projections for 1991 based on the 1971 census. However, the official projections for the same year based on the 1981 census fell short by 7.6 million only. Most of the observed differences are explained by the slower decline in the fertility levels. The population growth ratepeaked during 1971–81, perhaps in 1972–73 (based on the Sample Registration Scheme data). The average annualexponential growth rate declined marginally to 2.11 per cent (4.5%) after having remained at a plateau for the previous two decades of 1961–71 and 1971–81. At this point in time, the fertility and mortality trends indicate that India will reach the replacement level fertility [Net Reproductive Rate of Unity] by the years 2010–2015. It can be said with a greater degree of certainty that the official target of reaching the replacement level fertility by the year 2000a.d. will not be reached. Based on the 1991 census results, it can be said that India will reach the billion mark by the turn of the century. The World Bank projects a population of 1,350 million by the year 2025a.d., and a stationary population of 1,862 million by the year 2150a.d., assuming that the replacement level fertility [Net Reproductive Rate = 1] in India is reached about the year 2015a.d.     

Neoliberal disorientations: changing landscapes of disability and governance in India

This article delves into questions of neoliberal disorientations experienced by disabled people in the context of a participatory development self-help group project from the World Bank in south India. I explore ways in which neoliberal development regimes produce exclusionary forms of inclusion by producing subjects who are ‘able-disabled’. I ethnographically examine ‘who gets counted’ and ‘what gets counted’ within the neoliberal governance framework, and what remains outside. Deconstructing participatory development approaches from a critical disability perspective, the article sheds light on processes of inclusion through exclusion in the neoliberal framework of governance. It highlights what is at stake for disability futures in the context of austerity in the Global South.     

物流理论演化的历史考证与最新发展

考察物流理论演化发展的历史背景、条件和过程,可以看到20世纪80年代中期物流理论出现了由PD向Logistics的转化;20世纪90年代末至21世纪初又出现Logistics向SCM发展;随着21世纪强调知识经济和可持续发展,物流理论进一步向MF方向发展,因此,全球的物流理论呈现出“PD—k塔isticrSCM——MF”发展变化的规律和趋势。     

Depressive Symptoms and Economic Outcomes of Low-Income Women: A Review of the Social Causation, Social Selection, and Interactionist Hypotheses

We review research that connects depression and depressive symptoms to employment and economic factors for low-income women. Women who have low incomes and are unemployed or underemployed are vulnerable to mental health distress. The strain of balancing work and family life can be exacerbated by poor psychological health or nonsufficient economic resources. Research on the barriers that impede self-sufficiency can lead to policies that improve the economic and psychological health of low-income populations.
The discussion is framed by contrasting evidence for three theoretical perspectives: the social causation, social selection, and interactionist (bidirectional) hypotheses. The only causal relation reported is an effect of increased income on reduced depressive symptoms. Yet strong associations are found among psychological distress, earnings, employment stability, income, and job characteristics. The effects of programs to increase employment and the benefits of (and barriers to) depression treatment are also discussed. A bidirectional or interactionist perspective best conceptualizes the relationship between depression and economic factors. The reported negative effects of both poor mental well-being and low-quality employment suggest the need for stronger policies in the areas of mental health and work supports. We present policy recommendations addressing mental health treatment and outreach, employment placement, and workplace flexibility.     

Why Do Established Practices Deinstitutionalize? An Actor‐Centred Approach

Drawing on 63 in‐depth interviews from three American multinationals, we investigate how individual actors negotiate the interplay of insider and outsider pressures on the deinstitutionalization of four employment practices in an institutionally complex setting. Existing institutional theory highlights different degrees of deinstitutionalization, from complete abandonment of practices to partial erosion, with an underlying presumption of organizations and actors striving for stability and stasis. However, the present study finds that actor reconciliation of interacting insider and outsider pressures can result in three distinct phases of deinstitutionalization (complete, partial and negotiated deinstitutionalization), which crucially coexist, suggesting perpetual instability and change. The authors conceptualize the individual‐level enabling conditions for each of these different phases of deinstitutionalization, highlighting a range of actor responses as well as differences in how actors exercise agency across each phase. Examining actor negotiation of the interplay of insider and outsider pressures improves our understanding of how individuals engage in differential institutional work when responding to practice deinstitutionalization.     

Stationary distributions of the R[X]/R/1 cross-correlated queue

We consider an infinite buffer single server queue wherein batch interarrival and service times are correlated having a bivariate mixture of rational (R) distributions, where R denotes the class of distributions with rational Laplace–Stieltjes transform (LST), i.e., ratio of a polynomial of degree at most n to a polynomial of degree n. The LST of actual waiting time distribution has been obtained using Wiener–Hopf factorization of the characteristic equation. The virtual waiting time, idle period (actual and virtual) distributions, as well as inter-departure time distribution between two successive customers have been presented. We derive an approximate stationary queue-length distribution at different time epochs using the Markovian assumption of the service time distribution. We also derive the exact steady-state queue-length distribution at an arbitrary epoch using distributional form of Little’s law. Finally, some numerical results have been presented in the form of tables and figures.     

Trade Liberalization and Child Labor: A Case Study of Pakistan

The boom in industrial sector has lead to many problems and child labor is no exception. This study explores the linkages between trade liberalization and child labor both in short and long-run. The results suggest that GDP per capita and income inequality increase the child labor in the long-run but these results disappear in short-run. The study also finds that income inequality has positive and significant impact on child labor. Our findings also support that trade openness along with trade sanctions (imposed by the developed countries) are associated with the reduction in child labor in Pakistan.     

The Inclusion of Minority Groups in Clinical Trials: Problems of Under Representation and Under Reporting of Data

Objective: To evaluate the representation of minority groups in randomized control trials (RCTs), and the frequency with which this information is reported.

Study Design: Reviewers collected data on the racial/ethnic composition of study samples from all RCTs published in six leading medical journals in 1999.

Results: Of the 280 RCTs, most (204, 71.3%) provided no information on the race/ethnicity of participants. Of the 89 U.S.-based RCTs, 50 (56.1%) reported their minority distribution. Relative to other trials, those funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) (n = 52) were more likely to report race/ethnicity data (55.8% vs. 23.7%; χ² = 20.9, p ≤ 0.001) and to include nonwhite participants (13.5% vs. 12.5%; χ² = 22.7, p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion: Minority groups are currently under-represented in clinical trials. Information on the race and ethnicity of clinical trial participants is currently underreported in six leading medical journals. Reporting of minority group information was significantly better only in NIH funded trials, which also were more likely to include nonwhite participants. This suggests that mandatory reporting policies may have a positive effect on both reporting and representation.     

Exploring Epistemologies: The Debate Continues

ABSTRACT

Stigma is a significant barrier to recovery and full community inclusion for people with mental illnesses. Social work educators can play critical roles in addressing this stigma, yet little is known about their attitudes. Social work educators were surveyed about their general attitudes about people with mental illnesses, attitudes about practice with people with mental illnesses, and attitudes about students with mental illnesses. On average, educators’ general and practice attitudes were not negative. However, respondents did view a student with a mental illness differently from a “typical social work student.” Findings suggest that we, as social work educators, must raise our awareness and address our own attitudes to support students and uphold our social work values.