Residential landscapes as social-ecological systems: a synthesis of multi-scalar interactions between people and their home environment

Residential landscapes are a common setting of human-environment interactions. These ubiquitous ecosystems provide social and ecological services, and yard maintenance leads to intended and unintended ecological outcomes. The ecological characteristics of residential landscapes and the human drivers of landscape management have been the focus of disciplinary studies, often at a single scale of analysis. However, an interdisciplinary examination of residential landscapes is needed to understand the feedbacks and tradeoffs of these complex adaptive social-ecological systems as a whole. Our aim is to synthesize the diversity of perspectives, scales of analysis, and findings from the literature in order to 1) contribute to an interdisciplinary understanding of residential landscapes and 2) identify research needs while providing a robust conceptual approach for future studies. We synthesize 256 studies from the literature and develop an interdisciplinary, multi-scalar framework on residential landscape dynamics. Complex human drivers (attitudinal, structural, and institutional factors) at multiple scales influence management practices and the feedbacks with biophysical characteristics of residential landscapes. However, gaps exist in our interdisciplinary understanding of residential landscapes within four key but understudied areas: 1) the link between social drivers and ecological outcomes of management decisions, 2) the ecosystem services provided by these landscapes to residents, 3) the interactions of social drivers and ecological characteristics across scales, and 4) generalizations of patterns and processes across cities. Our systems perspective will help to guide future interdisciplinary collaborations to integrate theories and research methods across geographic locations and spatial scales.     

Complicating the Coming Out Narrative: Becoming Oneself in a Heterosexist and Cissexist World

Traditional stage models of LGBTQ identity development have conceptualized coming out as a linear process from “closeted” to “out” that all queer/trans individuals must follow if they are to be considered healthy and well adjusted. These stage models have been critiqued for their rigidity and absence of a dynamic understanding of the coming out process. In this article we explore the findings from a qualitative photovoice study with 15 LGBTQ youths in a small urban center in Ontario that supports these critiques. We explore the efficacy of the photovoice technique in investigating questions of sexual and gender identity. This article identifies some contextual factors that are important in understanding coming out as a social (rather than internal) process; it also identifies some of the ways in which these youths’ experiences challenge normative understandings of the “good, out queer.”     

A Computerized Approach to Decision Process Tracing for Decision Support System Design*

We propose the use of computerized process tracing (CPT) tools as an appropriate approach for monitoring the information acquisition and evaluation phase of specific decision processes. CPT tools are unobtrusive and seem particularly relevant for evaluating certain decision tasks that may be supported by decision support systems (DSS). CPT tools can be an important component of DSS development. An information systems research taxonomy developed by previous researchers [29] [36] is used to position research work involving the methodology of CPT. Using a critique suggested by Libby [28], CPT tools are evaluated and compared to alternative process tracing tools. A brief empirical example using CPT is provided, and future uses relative to DSS are suggested. The appendix includes an example of a specific CPT tool.     

Privatization and Public Enterprise Performance in Developing Countries

Book reviewed in this article: Adjusting Privatisation. By Christopher Adam, William Cavendish and Percy S. Mistry Public Enterprises in Kenya. By Barbara Grosh     

Special Invited Paper: Dimension Reduction and Visualization in Discriminant Analysis (with discussion)

This paper discusses visualization methods for discriminant analysis. It does not address numerical methods for classification per se, but rather focuses on graphical methods that can be viewed as pre-processors, aiding the analyst's understanding of the data and the choice of a final classifier. The methods are adaptations of recent results in dimension reduction for regression, including sliced inverse regression and sliced average variance estimation. A permutation test is suggested as a means of determining dimension, and examples are given throughout the discussion.     

A theory of organizational response to regulation: the case of hospitals

This paper presents a general theory of organizational response to regulation, a theory that integrates adaptation and mutual selection perspectives. Two major forms of regulation in the hospital industry, certificate of need and rate review, are examined. Hypotheses are derived concerning the nature and timing of the various adjustments hospitals make both in internal organizational arrangements and in patterns of interorganizational activity in the face of regulatory constraints. Suggestions and data sources for testing the theory are presented.     

Career Development of Women of Color and White Women: Assumptions,Conceptualization, and Interventions From an Ecological Perspective

Current career counseling practices are based on certain assumptions about clients and their career development, and these assumptions implicitly reflect male, western European experiences and worldviews. These assumptions may not reflect the general life priorities and specific role commitments of many women of color and White women. An ecological perspective on career counseling is proposed to conceptualize the dynamic interaction between the person and the environment. This perspective holds promise for assisting career counselors in their work with women of color and White women.     

Operational research, social well-being and the zero growth concept

Operational Research (OR) can be regarded as the use of science and scientific methods to influence decisionsto the benefit of society. In military, industrial and government contexts, overall social objectives have so far been taken for granted: victory, profitability, expansion of production and services, and so on; but now such simple objectives are in question. Management, technology and growth are seen to conflict with humanity, quality of life and prosperity. OR at present puts much more effort into pursuing the former group than the latter. Even the scientific method is under attack as a way of deciding social issues. OR must be able to justify its methods and its application. The old simple minded objectives are still pursued, but less whole-heartedly. There will be less demand for major OR studies of that kind. If OR is to survive, it must re-examine its social role in the new world climate.