A solution of the externality problem using strategic matching

This paper develops a Coase-like solution of the problem of inducing Pareto optimal behavior in the presence of reciprocal externalities. In place of Coasean direct compensation between the parties to an externality problem, actors strategically match each other's externality-producing activity, and thus induce counterparts to internalize the external benefits or costs of their actions. The analysis suggests a general framework for analyzing social interactions in the presence of reciprocal externalities. As an application of the theory, a solution of the duopoly problem is noted.We are indebted to L. Danziger, D. Samet, participants in faculty seminars at Bar-Ilan and New York Universities and at the University of Maryland, and two anonymous referees for helpful comments and discussions. All remaining errors are our own.     

You Have to Start from Scratch and You Need Someone by Your Side”: Perspectives of Parents and Teachers on Immigrant Students’ Adaptation to School

This article analyses the issue of immigrant students’ adaptation in Israeli schools, as perceived by their parents and teachers. The study integrates data from two qualitative, phenomenological studies: one explored immigrant parents’ perceptions of Israeli education and their children’s adaptation in school, while the other studied teachers’ perceptions of immigrant students’ education and their practices in the field. The data was gathered from in‐depth interviews with 17 parents and 20 teachers. The analysis yielded a list of themes related to parents’ and teachers’ views of the children’s adjustment, and their own roles in this process: their personal experiences in the field, the challenges and difficulties in interpersonal interactions between parents and teachers, and policy issues related to the educational integration of immigrant students. Findings emphasize the vital importance of parent‐teacher collaboration, clarification and better implementation of existing policy, and teachers’ qualifications for the successful educational integration of immigrant students.     

Coping Strategies and Relapse of Substance Abusers: A Case Study of the Therapeutic Community Program in Indonesia

The present study examined the ability of people with substance‐dependence problems to cope with stressful events and refrain from resuming alcohol drinking and the use of drugs. This study specifically examined the length of time that substance abusing‐residents spent in a state‐owned, residential‐based therapeutic community program at Lembang‐Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. A study sample of 68 residents completed a questionnaire with four sections. The results of this study showed no significant differences in the scores rating the coping behavior of the residents according to the length of stay in the program. This study also found no significant differences in the Coping Behavioral Inventory scores of the residents according to the level scores of total Coping Strategy Inventory. It is important for social workers to understand the relationship between the length of stay of residents and their ability to cope so that they can effectively engage in intervention work with individuals with substance‐dependence issues who participate in the therapeutic community.     

Coalitions and Collaboration among Three Civil Society Immigrant Organisations in Israel

This article describes the creation of a coalition among three civil society immigrant organisations in Israel. The research questions dealt with the collaborative strategies adopted by these organisations, and investigated through ethnographic interviews and document analysis what factors facilitated inter-organisational collaboration. Results showed that these organisations provided complementary services to newcomers while struggling with hostile government policies. The collaboration dynamic between the groups was successful because these immigrant associations shared similar socialistic views. Furthermore, through the promotion of personal ties, inter-organisational solidarity was forged, but overall, these activities ran counter to the dominant Israeli culture.     

The Spatial Distribution of Quality of Life in the United States and Interstate Migration, 1965–1970 and 1985–1990

This study applies a relatively new method called ‘co-plot’ to examine the relationships between the 48 contiguous states of the United States and selected indicators of quality of life in 1970 and 1990, and how these characteristics coincide with five-year interstate migration rates. The findings show an overall process of polarization of quality of life throughout the country. Strong similarity was found between states of a given division or region. The states which composed New England, the Middle Atlantic and the Pacific divisions are located in the strong sector of the socio-economic space. The direction of migration is toward states of the more external belts of the country. In the second part, multiple regression analysis was applied revealing a strong effect of economic incentives on migration; over time; migration turns into a widespread phenomenon among different socio-economic groups, with income becoming less significant as a predictor of interstate migration.     

Family Characteristics and Traumatic Consequences Associated with the Duration and Frequency of Sexual Assault

The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between family characteristics and the trauma associated with the duration and frequency of sexual assault on child survivors in the state of Sabah, Malaysia. Eighty children who reported sexual assault through a one stop crisis centre in an urban hospital were studied. The main research instrument used was adapted from the trauma symptoms checklist for children. The results of the study show that there are significant differences between the symptoms of trauma of victims according to the frequency of sexual assault, but not according to its duration. Social workers need both to understand and to take note of the relationship of the variables of family characteristics, frequency of sexual assault and trauma effects on the victims in their intervention work with child sexual assault survivors who report having been abused. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of providing crisis intervention by social workers in Malaysia for child victims of sexual assault.     

Presenting DEA graphically

This paper introduces a methodology that permits presentation of the results of data envelopment analysis (DEA) graphically. A specialized form of multi-dimensional scaling, Co-Plot, enables presentation of the DEA results in a two-dimensional space, hence in a clear, understandable manner. When plotting ratios rather than original data, DEA efficient units can be visualized clearly, as well as their connections to specific variables and/or ratios. Furthermore, Co-Plot can be used in an exploratory data analysis to identify outliers, whose data require additional scrutiny, and potentially inconsequential variables that could be aggregated or removed from the analysis with little effect on the subsequent DEA results.     

Psychosocial Reaction and Trauma After a Natural Disaster: The Role of Coping Behavior

This study examined the relationship between psychosocial reaction, coping behavior and trauma among natural disaster survivors in West Java, Indonesia. One hundred and one subjects were studied. The roles of coping behavior as a moderating factor were also tested. Psychosocial reaction during disaster and coping behavior were significantly correlated with trauma. Hierarchical regression analysis found that coping behavior was a significant potential moderating variable in terms of correlation between psychosocial reaction and trauma after a natural disaster.     

Preparing Social Work Students for Working with Disaster Survivors

This paper is an overview of disaster social work and preparing social work students for working with disaster survivors. Disaster has common immediate, and medium‐ and long‐term problems and needs. Experiences from various countries throughout the world suggest a range of helping roles and tasks that social work is suited for. A social work professional has particular expertise in understanding and addressing the immediate, and medium‐ and longer term effects of loss on individuals, families, and communities affected by a disaster. In preparing social work students for working with disaster survivors, social work programs do not introduce enough subject matter or course work about disasters. Practice training, field work, collaboration work, and community service in disaster relief are important academic environments for social work students when learning and practising in disaster settings.     

A numerical nonmetric approach for analyzing time series data

A numerical nonmetric approach to data analysis of periodic series with polytone trend is suggested. Estimation is made of thesmallest number of tone (monotone segments) possible for the trend. The seasonal component is estimated without need for first removing the (estimated) polytone trend. A computer program has been developed which enables analysis of arbitrary series, either by a prespecified length of period or by estimating the period length if not known in advance. Robustness of the proposed approach enables analysis of very short series, series with missing values, and other series with limitations that cannot be easily handled otherwise. In a separate appendix some empirical results obtained by this approach are compared with those from the X-ll program; this appendix will be sent upon request.