THE COMPOSITION AND CONSTRUCTION OF MONETARY AGGREGATES

An economic monetary aggregate is composed from a set of monetary goods that are at least weakly separable from other goods in the optimizing agent's utility function. We construct such an aggregate using a Divisia index number. We demonstrate that through the middle of the 1980s forecasts of the inflation rate based on our economic monetary aggregate are superior to forecasts based on the simple sum monetary aggregates M1 or M2.     

Responding to Empire: Liberal Nationalism and Imperial Decline in Scotland and Québec1

Abstract This article emphasises the role of empire in explaining the emergence of “liberal nationalism” in Scotland and Québec in the early twentieth century. That period witnessed a relative decline in the British Empire's geopolitical standing. In response British governments implemented policies which sought to redress its decline. The article focuses on three policies – the South African War, tariff reform and imperial defence – and the response of the Young Scots' Society and the self‐ascribed Nationalistes. Both groups espoused a “liberal nationalism”. Yet their liberal nationalism was expressed differently: emphasis was placed on “liberal” in Scotland, and on “nationalism” in Québec, reflecting contrasting relationships with empire.     

DISCONTINUITIES IN PENSION BENEFIT FORMULAS AND THE SPOT MODEL OF THE LABOR MARKET: IMPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ECONOMISTS

In their analysis of corporate pension plans, financial economists typically invoke the simplest and the most tractable model of the labor market. This is the spot model, where the worker's cash wage plus accruing pension benefit equals the value of his marginal product in each and every period. This paper provides evidence against the empirical validity of the spot model, and uses provisions common to most pension plans to do so. These findings are relevant to the appropriate measurement of pension liabilities and thus to the present controversy surrounding the termination of overfunded plans and the recapture of surplus assets by the employer. The existence of incentive effects, ruled out by the spot model, may help to unravel certain well known "puzzles," such as the failure of employers to fully fund their plans in spite of the tax advantages of doing so.     

Research Note: Developing Outcome Measures in Child Care

Correpondence to Dr Harriet Ward. Research Associate, University of Bristol, Social Policy and Social Planning. The Alfred Marshall Building, 40 Berkeley Square, Bristol BS8 1HY. Summary The complexity of the concept of outcome has discouraged researchinto the impact of the care experience on the child. This Notesummarizes the conceptual thinking behind a comprehensive systemof assessment which is being piloted in four local authorities,and reports on the preliminary results.     

INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND OPINION CHANGE IN NEW ZEALAND

Conflict between groups, including nations, seemingly leadsto solidarity among the people in each collectivity. Testingthis proposition at the international level is difficult owingto methodological problems of data gathering. This paper reportsupon the impact of an international controversy upon nationalopinion consolidation. After the New Zealand government bannednuclear-capable ships from the country, the United States retaliatedthrough public denunciation of this action and mild sanctions.Poll information suggests that, as a result of this dispute,New Zealanders put aside their preexisting political and socialdifferences on the issue of nuclear weapons in their countryand rallied behind their government. Over time, however, thisconsolidation effect shows signs of disintegration: social and,especially, political cleavages have begun again to discriminateopinion on the question of nuclear weapons in New Zealand.     

The Current Efficiency of List-Assisted Telephone Sampling Designs

List-assisted random digit dialing (RDD) designs became popularin the late 1980s and early 1990s. Work done by the Bureau ofLabor Statistics and the University of Michigan in 1993 resultedin the development of the underlying theory for these designsas well as the evaluation of various alternative sampling plansto optimize the method. Recent research to reevaluate thesedesigns in light of the significant changes in the telephonesystem over the past decade is presented in this article. Thearticle provides background on the development of list-assisteddesigns, and recent changes in the U.S. telephone system arereviewed. Using 1999 data from Survey Sampling, Inc., an analysisof the current state of the telephone system is presented, anda reoptimization of the earlier designs is undertaken. Resultsfrom the earlier work are compared with findings from the 1999data.     

NATIONALITY AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY CORRELATES AMONG SOCIAL SCIENTISTS: DATA BEARING ON CONVENTIONAL WISDOMS*

L'analyse de données provenant d'une enquête récente de la SCSA sur les sociologues et anthropologics canadiens sert d'arrière plan pour examiner les affirmations qui surgissent à l'occasion de discussions sur la nature de l'américanisation du corps professoral dans les universités canadiennes. On étudie les similaritcs et les differences entre les sociologues américains et les sociologues canadiens d'expression anglaise dans le but d'établir l'éventail des formations professionnelles et les caractéristiques de l'activité professionnelle. Le concept de «nationalité» est opérationalisé en utilisant les dimensions de lieu de naissance, citoyenneté, et milieux scolaires où le baccalauréat et le grade le plus élevé ont été obtenus. On dresse plusieurs comparaisons entre ceux qui peuvent être définis comme étant « purs » américains à partir de trois ou quatre critères reliès à la nationalité. Analysis of data from a recent CSAA survey of sociologists and anthropologists is offered to provide perspective on propositions raised in current debates on the nature of Americanization of academe in this country. Similarities and differences between American and English-Canadian sociologists are explored for a range of professional background and professional activity characteristics. Nationality is operationalized in terms of birthplace, citizenship, and places of BA and highest degrees. Comparisons are also made for “pure” Canadians and “pure” Americans defined in terms of three and four criteria of nationality and for Canadian- and American-born sociologists controlling for highest degree.