Making Privatization Work: Utilizing a Scorecard Model of Human Resource Strategy

Three-fourths of privatization efforts fail. Analyses of the other one-fourth have overlooked what is arguably the single most important element: successful management of human resources. In establishing the culture of change necessary to effect competitive initiatives and in motivating employees toward innovation and accountability, a scorecard-based human resource strategy is at the center of it all. A discussion of the strategic role of human resource management supporting privatization efforts in general, and of the remarkably successful Charlotte, North Carolina experience in particular, offers important lessons. Detailed here is a rubric of what works and why.     

Metropolitan social structure,labor markets,and fertility

This paper develops and examines a community-level model of fertility, incorporating both sociological and economic theoretical perspectives. Data from several government and private sources are analyzed in a series of reduced-form, multivariate regression models. Generally, the results demonstrate that while the conceptual relationships from both schools receive some empirical support, the social structural characteristics (such as social class, religious and ethnic composition) offer somewhat greater explanatory power. In a subsequent analytic stage, principal components analysis is employed in order to estimate a series of revised models, clarifying some inconsistencies found when employing a more “naive” model testing strategy.     

The power of the exponential scores test for an ordinary renewal process against trend alternatives

The power properties of a statistic based on the use of exponential scores which may be used for testing whether a series of events occurring in time form an ordinary renewal process against trend alternatives are examined. Small sample power comparisons under a Lehmann trend alternative are made with an alternative nonparametric test based on a rank trend statistic and with the parametric test when the intervals are exponentially distributed. Finally, some asymptotic efficiency results are developed for limiting trend alternatives.     

Midwestern Women’s Farm Business Roles and Farm Business Financial Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study

The roles of women have been and remain central to the functioning of the family farm business. However, a gap in recent literature on farm women, in general, exists and research is limited regarding women’s farm business roles and their satisfaction with their farm business financial situation. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that impact farm women’s perceptions of farm business financial satisfaction. Results indicated that the importance of financial solvency and satisfaction with one’s farm role were positively associated with women’s farm business financial satisfaction. Holding a primary decision-making role was negatively associated with farm business financial satisfaction. Implications for educators, professionals who work with farm women, and researchers are discussed.     

Migration and metropolitan opportunity structures: A demographic response to racial inequality

This paper examines the impact of racial inequality on black and white migration rates for a sample of metropolitan areas in the United States 1975–1980. A conceptual framework for migration that includes a measure of racial inequality is developed and evaluated. The results indicate that blacks are attracted to areas with lower levels of inequality, but contrary to our expectations, the rate of black out-migration is lower in Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas with higher levels of racial inequality. In addition, whites seem to be attracted to labor markets where whites have the greatest advantage as measured by occupational inequality, and they are more likely to leave areas where the competition with blacks for jobs is greater. Implications for theory and further research for the comparative study of black and white migration are outlined.