The inverse 1-maxian problem with edge length modification

We consider the problem of modifying the lengths of the edges of a graph at minimum cost such that a prespecified vertex becomes a 1-maxian with respect to the new edge lengths. The inverse 1-maxian problem with edge length modification is shown to be strongly -hard and remains weakly -hard even on series-parallel graphs. Moreover, a transformation of the inverse 1-maxian problem with edge length modification on a tree to a minimum cost circulation problem is given which solves the original problem in . This research has been supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Project P18918-N18.     

Forthcoming in Sociological Forum

Table of Contents

Forthcoming in Sociological Forum     

Zur Psychodynamik der Akquisition in Supervision und Organisationsentwicklung

“How can I successfully offer my counseling services to the market?”. The question of promoting oneself is a crucial one, not only for counselors at the beginning of their career but also for experienced colleagues. The problem of attracting clients occupies counselors and supervisors at different levels: At the personality level as well as at the professional and role understanding level. Promoting oneself implies “selling” one’s performance and ability and therefore touches topics which are normally taboo: money, market, ethics, self-respect, competition and status.     

Anesthesia Patient Risk: A Quantitative Approach to Organizational Factors and Risk Management Options

The risk of death or brain damage to anesthesia patients is relatively low, particularly for healthy patients in modern hospitals. When an accident does occur, its cause is usually an error made by the anesthesiologist, either in triggering the accident sequence, or failing to take timely corrective measures. This paper presents a pilot study which explores the feasibility of extending probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) of anesthesia accidents to assess the effects of human and management components on the patient risk. We develop first a classic PRA model for the patient risk per operation. We then link the probabilities of the different accident types to their root causes using a probabilistic analysis of the performance shaping factors. These factors are described here as the "state of the anesthesiologist" characterized both in terms of alertness and competence. We then analyze the effects of different management factors that affect the state of the anesthesiologist and we compute the risk reduction benefits of several risk management policies. Our data sources include the published version of the Australian Incident Monitoring Study as well as expert opinions. We conclude that patient risk could be reduced substantially by closer supervision of residents, the use of anesthesia simulators both in training and for periodic recertification, and regular medical examinations for all anesthesiologists.     

Centres and peripheries: the political culture of dependency*

Cet étude examine les variations du sentiment d'efficacité politique externe des Canadiens face à leur situation régionale dans le système centre-périphérie. Dans les régions périphériques du Canada, le manque d'autonomie, qui reste la marque la plus sure de la dépendance, est indiqué par la perception des résidents qu'il est difficile d'influencer le processus politique. Le Québec francophone se distingue du reste du Canada par le manque d'impact que même une des régions avantagées percevoit avoir face a la réponse gouvernementale. Divers modèles log-linéaires sont comparés dans le but d'examiner l'impact de la classe sociale et de la province. Cet ètude indique qu'à l'intérieur de chaque province, il existe des variations importantes dans le sentiment d'efficacité externe. This study relates variations in Canadians' feelings of external political efficacy to their region's location in the centre-periphery system. In Canada's peripheral regions, the lack of autonomy that is the hallmark of dependency is reflected in residents' perceptions that little can be done to influence the political process. Francophone Quebec is shown to be distinctive in the lack of impact of even an advantaged regional location on perceptions of government responsiveness. A variety of ordinal loglinear models are developed to examine the impact of social class and province. The study points to important variations in feelings of external efficacy within provinces.     

Towards a Theory of Network Facilitation: A Microfoundations Perspective on the Antecedents,Practices and Outcomes of Network Facilitation

Firms cooperate in inter‐firm networks to foster their competitiveness and improve their innovation outcomes. In many cases, network facilitators who are either embedded in a lead firm or a third‐party organization manage the cooperation among the network firms. This qualitative study adopts a microfoundations perspective to investigate the behavioural antecedents of the network facilitators, their facilitation practices and the related network‐level outcomes. Results show that lead‐firm facilitators more strongly invest in trust‐building measures since they are considered deficient in benevolence and integrity. Without these investments, they run the risk that conflicts of interest hinder the stimulation of positive network‐level outcomes. Third‐party facilitators, by contrast, enjoy certain credits of trust and focus on balancing firm interests from the network's activation, but need to invest in enhancing their competencies and skills with regard to the industry the firms operate in. The findings contribute to developing a theory of network facilitation by providing a nuanced understanding of how network‐level outcomes can be reduced to individual‐level factors.     

Measuring Ontario's increasing housing affordability problem

This empirical study measures the prevalence and incidence of housing affordability problems in Canada in 1972, 1976, and 1983. It shows the affordability problem has not been improved by the major effort the Canadian governments made during the 1970s. Rent controls have not been adequate in reducing affordability problems. Moderate intervention in the housing market are not enough to help low income households attain affordable housing. The problem's resolution may require a major effort to stimulate housing supply, and by direct government involvement, adjustment in creating new methods and institutions for building and delivering housing services. Housing affordability problems will remain unresolved in the absence of major income redistribution programs.     

Household structure and childhood immunization in Niger and Nigeria

In this study, we use data from the Demographic and Health Surveys to examine the relationship between household structure and childhood immunization in Niger and Nigeria. We show that household structure is an important determinant of childhood immunization in Nigeria: Children from nuclear, elementary polygynous, and three-generational households are worse-off than those from laterally extended households. However, the lower odds of full immunization among children from three-generational and elementary polygynous households are attributable to low economic status and low maternal education levels, respectively. In Niger, household structure does not have a significant effect on children’s likelihood of being fully immunized.