International Remittances and Private Schooling: Evidence from Kerala,India

This study investigates the impact of international remittances on private school enrolment in Kerala. Using data from the 2010 Kerala Migration Survey and employing an instrumental variable (IV‐Probit) approach to address the endogeneity of migration, we found that remittances have a positive and significant effect on private school enrolment. After disaggregating the sample into different heterogeneous groups, we found that remittances have greater effect on boys, children residing in rural areas, and those belonging to socially advantageous groups and from higher wealth quintile. Children from lower wealth quintile and belonging to socially disadvantageous groups are least affected by migration and remittances.     

Merging data from multiple sources: pretest and shrinkage perspectives

In this article, we have developed asymptotic theory for the simultaneous estimation of the k means of arbitrary populations under the common mean hypothesis and further assuming that corresponding population variances are unknown and unequal. The unrestricted estimator, the Graybill-Deal-type restricted estimator, the preliminary test, and the Stein-type shrinkage estimators are suggested. A large sample test statistic is also proposed as a pretest for testing the common mean hypothesis. Under the sequence of local alternatives and squared error loss, we have compared the asymptotic properties of the estimators by means of asymptotic distributional quadratic bias and risk. Comprehensive Monte-Carlo simulation experiments were conducted to study the relative risk performance of the estimators with reference to the unrestricted estimator in finite samples. Two real-data examples are also furnished to illustrate the application of the suggested estimation strategies.     

Some new construction of circular weakly balanced repeated measurements designs in periods of two different sizes

Abstract

Balanced repeated measurements designs (RMDs) balance out the residual effects. Williams Latin square designs work as minimal combinatorial balanced as well as variance balanced for RMDs for p (period sizes) = v (number of treatments). If minimal balanced RMDs cannot be constructed for the situations where p must be less than v then weakly balanced RMDs should be preferred. In this article, some generators are developed to generate circular weakly balanced RMDs in periods of two different sizes. To obtain the proposed designs, some construction procedures are also described for some of the cases where we could not develop generators.     

Simultaneous estimation of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients

The simultaneous estimation of Cronbachs alpha coefficients from q populations under the compound symmetry assumption is considered. In a multi-sample scenario, it is suspected that all the Cronbachs alpha coefficients are identical. Consequently, the inclusion of non-sample information (NSI) on the homogeneity of Cronbachs alpha coefficients in the estimation process may improve precision. We propose improved estimators based on the linear shrinkage, preliminary test, and the Steins type shrinkage strategies, to incorporate available NSI into the estimation. Their asymptotic properties are derived and discussed using the concepts of bias and risk. Extensive Monte-Carlo simulations were conducted to investigate the performance of the estimators.     

Analysing local perceptions of post‐conflict and post‐floods livelihood interventions in Swat,Pakistan

The Swat valley in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province was affected by a protracted conflict and super flood between 2007 and 2010. This article explores local perceptions of the Swat response, which presented complex challenges for rehabilitation and livelihood recovery of affected communities. This study examines local perceptions of how non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) and government response addressed livelihood revival needs, considers questions relating to the nature and dynamics of the conflict and floods and reflects on the issues and lessons of post‐disaster relief and development. The qualitative case study was conducted between September 2010 and February 2011. Primary data were collected in 11 villages and localities from beneficiaries and non‐beneficiaries, government representatives, community leaders and programme officials involved in livelihood interventions. This article identifies the shortcomings associated with the targeted response, as well as the types of response offered in the form of beneficiary selection and elite co‐opting of aid. The response was affected by a lack of relief, recovery and development programme co‐ordination, weak institutional support and non‐prioritization of local needs. The article recommends that for effective development policy and practice, local ownership of response and recovery programmes needs to be promoted.     

Minimal circular strongly balanced repeated measurements designs in periods of three different sizes

Repeated measurements designs (RMD) are widely used in medicine, pharmacology, animal sciences, and psychology. If there is a restriction on the total number of treatments, some experimental units can receive on the total length of time while some experimental units can remain in the trial, then RMD in periods of unequal sizes should be used. In this article, some infinite series are developed to generate the minimal circular strongly balanced RMD in periods of three different sizes p₁, p₂, and p₃, where 2 ≤ p₃ < p₂ ≤ 10.     

RESERVE PRICE EFFECTS IN AUCTIONS: ESTIMATES FROM MULTIPLE REGRESSION‐DISCONTINUITY DESIGNS

We present evidence from 260,000 online auctions of second‐hand cars to identify the impact of public reserve prices on auction outcomes. We exploit multiple discontinuities in the relationship between reserve prices and vehicle characteristics to present causal regression‐discontinuity estimates of reserve price impacts. We find an increase in reserve price decreases the number of bidders, increases the likelihood the object remains unsold, and increases expected revenue conditional on sale. We then combine these estimates to calibrate the reserve price effect on the auctioneer's ex ante expected revenue. This reveals the auctioneer's reserve price policy to be locally optimal. (JEL D44, L11, L62)     

Religious Education at Crossroads in the United Kingdom: Muslim Responses to Registration,Regulation and Inspection

Madrasah education is the bedrock of Muslim communities the world over. They are established, in essence, for the religious, spiritual, moral and social development of Muslim children. Recently, the Department for Education in the UK issued a call for evidence for requiring certain out-of-school settings to be registered, regulated and inspected. Responses to this proposal have been varied, some welcoming it whilst others expressed serious concerns. This paper explores the trends in the responses made to these proposals by three Muslim organisations. It begins by providing a nuanced understanding of the terms maktab and madrasah and shows that the call is not a new one at all. Thereafter, the worry of many politicians, educators and faith groups are considered. The findings reveal that Muslim organisations support and welcome measures to strengthen the safeguarding and well-being of children. However, a summative analysis of their responses reveals that they have serious concerns about many aspects of the proposal and the context within which it has been conceived.     

Portrayal of Muslims Following the Murders of Lee Rigby in Woolwich and Mohammed Saleem in Birmingham: A Content Analysis of UK Newspapers

In 2013, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale murdered a British soldier, named Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London. In the aftermath of the incident, evidence showed Muslims had become targets for a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes.¹1. ACPO, “True Vision Records”, 2013. Available at: http://www.reportit.org.uk/true_vision_records_a_significant_weekly_reduct (accessed 2 September 2014).View all notes Most notably, mosques had been reported to have been burnt down and graffiti with messages of hate scrawled against the walls. In such times, the role of the media is crucial in projecting a balanced approach. This study analysed newspaper coverage three weeks from the Woolwich attacks and examined the language and headlines used to describe Muslims. Over 1022 articles from UK newspapers were reviewed using the Nexis database utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the media narrative regarding Muslims and also make a comparative analysis of how the media reported on the case of Mohammed Saleem who was murdered by the far right extremist, Pavlo Lapshyn. The newspaper articles were analysed by using the computer software NVivo to search for and identify patterns across the articles in order to give an idea of the most frequent ways that Muslims were being portrayed. This paper found that news coverage had generalised about Muslims which was made in an overtly prejudicial way.     

Social Connections and Incentives in the Workplace: Evidence From Personnel Data

We present evidence on the effect of social connections between workers and managers on productivity in the workplace. To evaluate whether the existence of social connections is beneficial to the firm's overall performance, we explore how the effects of social connections vary with the strength of managerial incentives and worker's ability. To do so, we combine panel data on individual worker's productivity from personnel records with a natural field experiment in which we engineered an exogenous change in managerial incentives, from fixed wages to bonuses based on the average productivity of the workers managed. We find that when managers are paid fixed wages, they favor workers to whom they are socially connected irrespective of the worker's ability, but when they are paid performance bonuses, they target their effort toward high ability workers irrespective of whether they are socially connected to them or not. Although social connections increase the performance of connected workers, we find that favoring connected workers is detrimental for the firm's overall performance.