LABOR SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS, PROFIT-SHARING AND VOLATILITY RENTS IN AN UNSTABLE ECONOMY

Contracts which pay part of labor compensation as a profit share may be made distributionally identical to fixed-wage contracts under long-run equilibrium conditions, but this does not guarantee distributional equivalence in the presence of mean-preserving turbulence around the equilibrium state. This paper demonstrates how, given a full-employment constraint, the small-scale introduction of share contracting reduces cyclical unemployment but lowers cyclical average profits compared to a fixed-wage regime. As share contracting is extended to cover the entire wage bill, the tendency is to freeze factor shares at their long-run equilibrium values, regardless of shocks.     

Is the ACSW examination valid?

The written examination required for membership in the National Association of Social Workers' Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) purports to be a valid indicator of generalist social work knowledge. We tested this contention by administering a practice ACSW examination, published in the official NASW study guide for the test, to 62 M.S.W. students in their first year of study. This practice test is stated to be equivalent in terms of content and difficulty to the actual examination. We blanked out thequestion content for each of 40 practice test items and requested the students to choose the correct answer from the among the four provided. Probability suggests that the average score should be no better than chance, or about 25% correct (one out of four). In actuality our sample of first year students scored, on average, 40.5% correct, which is statistically significantly higher than chance. These results call into question the content validity of the ACSW examination.     

BANK PANICS, SUSPENSIONS, AND GEOGRAPHY: SOME NOTES ON THE "CONTAGION OF FEAR" IN BANKING

Recent attempts to understand bank panics tend to emphasize informational asymmetries or the possibilities of multiple equilibria. Such approaches stand in contrast to historical research that emphasizes legal factors influencing the organization of the banking system. This paper constructs a model of a banking system operating under regulations similar to those in effect under the National Banking System and in which information is complete. In all other respects the model resembles that of Diamond and Dybvig [1983]. The results indicate that, given the regulatory environment, it would have been surprising if suspensions of convertibility had not recurred periodically.     

Some subjective bayesian considerations in the selection of models

Some considerations relating to the post-data selection of models are discussed. These include some difficulties with orthodox theory, implementation of the likelihood principle, and Bayesian tests of hypotheses.     

Re-authoring the stories we work by Situating the narrative approach in the presence of the family of therapists**

This paper evaluates the work of the narrative school of family therapy, as developed by Michael White. This is examined in relation to the field of ideas in family therapy out of which it emerged, highlighting some of the similarities and differences, The lack of acknowledgement by the narrative school of many of the commonalities shared with others is then considered. A second order perspective is taken, situating the therapist's theory in the presence of the family of therapists to examine the development of the narrative approach to theory and practice. Constructionist contributions are considered in relation to the development of an eclectic approach where the therapist adopts a multiverse of theories to draw upon in practice. Development of theory becomes then a dialogue between different lenses rather than the development of any one truth.     

Labor’s inequality of bargaining power: myth or reality?

This article responds to Morgan O. Reynolds’ paper which questions the inequality of labor’s bargaining power by addressing four issues: (1) the economic case for collective bargaining, (2) the concept of an inequality of bargaining power, (3) the extent of employer market power, and (4) the role of public policy. The author thanks Jack Blicksilver for helpful comments.     

Self-regulatory responses to professional misconduct within the legal profession

Dans cette communication, l'auteur s'appuie sur des documents des archives d'une association provinciale du Barreau canadien pour étudier les facteurs qui conditionnent les décisions de poursuivre ou de sanctionner les avocats pour faute professionnelle. Selon le modèle présenté, il existe des similitudes entre la façon dont les décisions sont prises par les cours criminelles et par les instances d'autoréglementation de la profession juridique. Plus précisément, l'auteur avance l'hypothèse selon laquelle la position occupée à l'intérieur de la profession, le degré d'inexpérience et l'état de l'économie influeront sur la décision de poursuivre et de discipliner un avocat. Le modèle tient compte d'autres facteurs, tels la nature de l'infraction au code de déontologie, l'existence plaintes pour faute professionnelle antérieures et le sexe de la personne. Les données étudiées tendent à confirmer les hypothèses émises et font ressortir certaines tendances communes entre le système public et le système professionel en matière de poursuites et de sanctions. Using archival data from a Canadian provincial bar association we examine contingencies that structure decisions to prosecute and sanction lawyers for professional misconduct. A model is explored which asserts similarities between criminal justice and professional self-regulatory patterns of decision-making. More specifically, we hypothesize that intra-professional position, inexperience and the economic recession will influence disciplinary decisions to prosecute and sanction lawyers. Offence characteristics, complaint histories and gender are also included in the models. Our findings offer some support for our hypotheses and for the assertion of similarities between professional and public systems of prosecution and sanctioning.     

SOCIAL INFLUENCE, SELF-REFERENT IDENTITY LABELS, AND BEHAVIOR

Self-referent identity labels are frequently argued to be a central component of the self and to be important in the planning of conduct. Despite the attractiveness of this argument, relatively little research has yet appeared that supports it, and studies of the etiology and effects of self-referent labels often fail to control for the confounding effects of preferences, norms. or other conceptions that are known to affect conduct. In this paper, propositions are argued concerning the causes and independent effects of self-referent labels. Some of these propositions are then tested in two studies, one concerned with alcohol use among adolescents in four Western countries, the other focused on alcohol and tobacco use among American high-school and undergraduate students. Both studies found strong ties between reports of peer modeling and respondents self-referent labels and that the latter had significant and independent effects on reported behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.     

A child's imaginary companion: A transitional self

The article explores the use of the imaginary companion by normal children, two to five years of age. Some existing literature on the imaginary companion is reviewed. Three case presentations demonstrate the use of the imaginary companion and its effect on ego development.Major findings are the prevalence of the mechanism of splitting and the use of the imaginary companion as transitional phenomenon by the children. An ensuing discussion relates an object relations understanding of the normal developmental use of splitting and transitional phenomena to the case presentations. The imaginary companion is viewed as a transitional self on the developmental lines of narcissism and object relations.