The Effect of Regional Inequalities on Migration: A Comparative Analysis of Israel and Japan

This article posits three main questions: – Is there a general “mechanism” through which disparities in regional development affect patterns of cross-district migration? – Which aspects of regional inequalities (climate, employment, housingavailability, etc.) have the most profound effect on rates and directionof inter-area migration? – Which planning policies and strategies are conducive to increasing the migration attractiveness of peripheral development regions? In an attempt to answer these questions, the 1985-1995 statistical data fortwo relatively small and densely populated countries – Israel and Japan – are used. A general model of the factors affecting cross-district migration is suggested, and analysis-of-variance is used to explain the factors influencing rate of cross-area migration in the two countries. Although these countries differ substantially in respect to population sizeand local development, they appear to exhibit considerable similarities ingeneral patterns of cross-district migration. Since the late 1980s, the attractiveness of core regions in both countries has tended to decline, while that of peripheral areas appeared to grow. It is argued that this resemblance of migration patterns is related to a similarbalance of employment and housing availability in different geographicareas.     

Immigrant Occupational Composition and the Earnings of Immigrants and Natives in Germany: Sorting or Devaluation?

In this article, the influence of immigrant occupational composition on the earnings of immigrants and natives in Germany is examined. Using data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel Study and the German Microcensus, several relevant concepts are tested. The notion of quality sorting states that the differences in wages that are associated with the immigrant share within occupations are due only to differences in qualification requirements. Cultural devaluation assumes a negative influence over and above that of quality sorting. The findings indicate that both processes are at work. Additional analyses reveal that the impact of immigrant occupational composition is largely restricted to white‐collar occupations, which underlines the importance of considering historical differences between occupation types in classic migration destinations such as Germany.     

Response to “Becoming Visible: The Case of Collette”

The clinician’s experiences of race outside of the treatment room contribute to the formation of a racialized self, which influences clinical work with all clients notwithstanding race. Multiracial individuals at times must balance their external physical presentation—and the corresponding race-related categories that others place on them—with their own internally constructed racial identifications. The mechanisms of identification and disidentification can provide safety for the multiracial individual. How can clinicians effectively acknowledge their own identifications and disidentifications as lenses for seeing the multiracial person’s racialized self and selves so as to more effectively work with the multiracial?     

On the strategic project management process in the UK upstream oil and gas sector

This paper reports on an investigation into strategic project management in the UK upstream oil and gas sector. The management process is represented by a set of elements which covers context, content and output and are balanced across financial, internal business, external environment, and learning and innovation perspectives. The paper uncovers elements that appear to explain successful project management and compares these with the elements to which managers pay greatest attention. There appears to be a mismatch between those elements which are associated with success and those receiving significant management attention.     

Structure-(Dys)function relationships in mitochondrial electron transport chain complex II?

It has been postulated that mitochondrially derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major causative role in aging processes. The primary sources of these oxidants are believed to be complexes I and III of the electron transport chain, with little evidence supporting oxidant formation at complex II (succinate dehydrogenase). Mutation of a complex II protein has, however, been shown to cause increased oxidative stress and decreased life expectancy in the Caenorhabditis elegans mutant mev-1. A recent study by Yankovskaya and colleagues, in which the structure of Escherichia coli succinate dehydrogenase was determined, provides an explanation for these observations. Furthermore, these results suggest possible mechanisms by which electron leakage might occur at this site in the aged organism.     

Assessing a changepoint in a sequence of repeated measurements with application to a low-energy emission therapy sleep study

We describe a test statistic for a changepoint in a sequence of repeated measurements. This statistic is non-parametric, and may be motivated from either frequentist or Bayesian considerations. We apply this procedure to data arising from a clinical sleep study of low-energy emission therapy.     

Urban flora in the Southeast Europe and its correlation with urbanization

Many studies have refuted the opinion that urban floras are poor in total species number and characterized primarily by neophytes. Also, it has been proved that urban flora differs from its surroundings, and at the same time reflects its richness. Our study focused on urban flora, structure and similarities, and the possible correlation with the urban attributes. Therefore, we selected 11 cities in Southeast Europe, which differ in the development of transportation networks (roads, rails and inland waterways) and population size. Next, we compared two sets of data (structure of urban flora and urban attributes) to define the correlation patterns. Analyzed urban floras were primarily distinguished by a total number of species, number of unique species and neophytes. Belgrade is a city with the highest urbanization level, the most species and the highest number of unique species and neophytes as well. Kosovska Mitrovica, Grocka and Po?arevac stand out by floristic richness. These cities have a high number of species, yet a small proportion of neophytes. Other cities are characterized by similar floristic structure, with a relatively similar proportion of neophytes and approximately similar number of unique species in relation to the total number. It can be concluded that other factors beside the chosen urban attributes have additional effects on floristic structure, except for the factor - the presence of neophytes. This is in accordance with predefining subjects, since urban attributes were chosen based on knowledge about important corridors for invasive species.     

Archival or perceived measures of environmental uncertainty? Conceptualization and new empirical evidence

Environmental uncertainty is a major determinant in many managerial decisions and evaluations. Yet, there is no consensus what constitutes a valid measure of uncertainty to which executives can respond. This paper explicates conceptual and methodological differences between Archival Environmental Uncertainty (AEU) and Perceived Environmental Uncertainty (PEU).     

How Selective Are Real Wage Cuts? A Micro‐analysis Using Linked Employer–Employee Data

Using linked employer–employee panel data for Germany, we investigate whether firms implement real wage reductions in a selective manner. In line with insider–outsider and several strands of efficiency wage theory, we find strong evidence for selective wage cuts with high‐productivity workers being spared even when controlling for permanent differences in firms' wage policies. In contrast to some recent contributions stressing fairness considerations, we also find that wage cuts increase wage dispersion among peers rather than narrowing it. Notably, the same selectivity pattern shows up when restricting our analysis to firms covered by collective agreements or having a works council.     

The antecedents of new R&D collaborations with different partner types: On the dynamics of past R&D collaboration and innovative performance

We examine firms' propensity to adapt their R&D collaboration portfolio by establishing new types of R&D collaboration with different kinds of partners (suppliers, customers, competitors and universities & public research institutions). We argue that existing R&D collaboration with one of the two value chain partners (suppliers or customers) is associated with the formation of new R&D collaboration with the other value chain partner to ensure temporal alignment in innovation within the value chain. In contrast, issues related to governance and unintended knowledge spillovers suggest that ‘horizontal’ R&D collaboration with competitors only spurs R&D collaboration with other partner types if such competitor R&D collaboration has been discontinued earlier (‘delayed temporal alignment’). We posit that persistent prior R&D collaboration with institutional partners is an antecedent to the establishment of new R&D collaboration with industrial partners, and that discontinuation of a particular type of R&D collaboration is likely to lead to a restart of such R&D collaborative effort. Strong prior innovative performance is expected to increase the probability that firms establish R&D collaborations with new partner types, except for R&D collaboration with competitors, since the most innovative firms may fear leakage of proprietary knowledge to rivals. We find broad support for these predictions in a large panel of Spanish innovating firms (2004–2011). Our findings highlight that it is not just the configuration of R&D collaborations with existing partner types that predicts tie formation with new partner types, but also the intertemporal pattern of prior R&D collaboration and managerial discretion provided by past innovation success.