Pre-term Foetal Life Times in Scotland

A proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the association between ten categorical covariates and the risk of pre-term delivery for women having their first child and women in subsequent pregnancies. An adaptation of the model for use with grouped survival times made it possible to model foetal life times between 28 and 36 completed weeks of gestation for 67,000 Scottish singleton births in 1981. The use of the model was justified by testing time-dependent effects. For both groups of women age, and a history of abortion, were major factors associated with increased hazard. For women experiencing a second or higher-order birth a history of perinatal death was also associated with substantially increased hazard to the pregnancy.     

The application of a performance management system in hospitals: A hypothetical example

Abstract

The central theme of this article is performance management, defined as activities of organizations aimed at an effective and efficient use of their human resources. The organization focused on in particular is the hospital. Three principles taken from motivation theory are dealt with which are basic to performance management: goal setting, feedback and reinforcement. Next, a recently developed procedure (Pritchard 1990, Pritchard et al. 1988, 1989) for the design of performance management systems is described. This procedure, ProMES: Productivity Measurement and Enhancement Systems, is explained using a team of ward nurses as a hypothetical example. In addition to the nursing wards example, other potential applications of the ProMES technique to several hospitals areas are mentioned. Finally, some conditions that should be fulfilled in order to successfully start a ProMES project are discussed.     

Asymptotocally nonparametric tests with censored paired data

A class of asymptotically nonparametric test with contains a test proposed by Wei(1980), is considered for testing the equality of two continuous distribution funcitons when paired observations are subject to arbitrary right censorship. It is shown that under the null hypothesis each test statistic converges in distribution to the standard normal random variable. Furthermore. the Monte Carlo simulation results indicate that some tests in this class are more powerful than Wei's test. A generalization to incomplete censored paired data is also included.     

The Multi-dimensional Characteristics of Wellbeing: How Different Aspects of Wellbeing Interact and Do Not Interact with Each Other

Because wellbeing is a multi-varied and dynamic phenomenon, social scientists need to better understand how different aspects of people’s wellbeing are tied together and how these ties differ between individuals at one point in time and within individuals over time. The paper outlines a general model that considers the multidimensional structure of wellbeing. We utilize the potential of latent variable modelling on a unique Swedish database: the Panel Survey of Ageing and the Elderly (PSAE). An inclusive and flexible model that considers the interactions between semi-autonomous domains (material resources, health, psychosocial factors, lifestyle, etc.) is developed. Our empirical study is based on cross-sectional PSAE data and focuses on people 55 years or older (N = 5,374). The analysis takes advantage of recent developments in statistical theory in the field of latent variable modelling to bring about a more dynamic and theory confirming analysis of a multifaceted phenomenon such as wellbeing.     

Contraceptive Responsibility among Male University Students

Abstract

This paper assesses the male contribution to contraceptive mismanagement and unwanted pregnancy. The subjects were 109 students at the University of Melbourne. A high incidence of risk-taking was reported, and almost one-fifth of the sexually experienced men stated that they had been involved in an unwanted pregnancy. A small group of these reported more than one such incident. The underlying reasons for poor contraceptive technique seemed to be related to two beliefs: that contraception is a female responsibility, and that sexual intercourse should be entirely spontaneous and unplanned.     

Deferred life annuities: on the combined effects of stochastic mortality and interest rates

The paper analyzes the systematic risk which is inherent in a portfolio of deferred life annuities. We take into account stochastic mortality as well as stochastic interest rates. For the specification of the mortality rate dynamics, we consider a pure diffusion model as well as a compound Poisson jump model. The interest rate dynamics are given by a one-factor Hull–White model. All models, interest rate and mortality rate, are calibrated to financial market as well as demographic data. We use Monte Carlo simulations to approximate the variance of the discounted cash flow and its decomposition into a pooling and a non-pooling risk part. We also consider pricing effects using the principle of zero expected utility and the quantile principle. The estimated risk premiums are benchmarked to the equivalence premium. Finally, we focus on solvency requirements which are based on the investment decisions and the associated shortfall probability of the annuity provider.     

Debt‐Relief Effectiveness and Institution‐Building

This article provides new evidence on the effects of recent debt‐relief programmes on different macroeconomic indicators in developing countries, focusing on the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs). The relationship between debt relief and institutional change is also investigated to assess whether donors are moving towards ex‐post governance conditionality. Results show that debt relief is only weakly associated with subsequent improvements in economic performance but is correlated with increasing domestic debt which undermines the positive achievements in reducing external debt service. There is also evidence that donors are moving towards a more sensible allocation of debt forgiveness, rewarding countries which have better policies and institutions.     

Media and the Intersectional Other

This article presents the findings of an intersectional study on migrant women on German television. Besides content and textual analyses, we conducted focus groups with audiences and interviews with migrant media workers. As the representation of Others was explored through the nodes of production, consumption, and identity, a complicated intersectional practice emerged. We found the televised representations of migrant women to be dominated by (often veiled) women as signifiers of non-integration but also by instances when gendered ethnicity was used as a marketable attribute. The audiences and producers employed various distancing strategies: they criticized specific programs for blatant stereotyping as much as didactic counter-stereotyping while downplaying systemic shortfalls of the coverage. These distancing strategies were intensified by the acceptance of individualized ideologies of success and commodified logics of media production. Ultimately, class appeared as the central demarcating category. On German television a problematic class distinction was articulated through ethnic and gender difference. Female migrants were often “othered” as lower-class. This class discourse absolved middle-class viewers and media workers from engaging in the systemic struggles over female/migrant identities, thus undermining the potential for gender and migrant solidarity and for the dynamic creation of cultural citizenship as a mode of belonging.     

Die Bedeutung der Zinsschranke

The German Corporate Tax Reform Act of 2008 requires an adjustment of classic valuation concepts because it limits interest deduction from taxable income depending on the operating performance of the company. By using time- and state-contingent discount rates in a risk-neutral valuation with predetermined debt levels, a theoretically sound valuation result is obtained. However, a modified APV-concept which assumes deterministic debt over the planning horizon and constant leverage in the terminal value phase also yields consistent valuation results when two types of tax shields with different levels of risk are distinguished.