Self‐Report and Observational Assessment of Couples' Conflict: The Concordance Between the Communication Patterns Questionnaire and the KPI Observation System

The purpose of the study is to provide a cross‐cultural replication of the correspondence between the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ) Constructive Communication Subscale and an observational measure of constructive communication. Eighty‐one couples in two German cities completed the CPQ, a self‐report measure of couples' conflictual communication, and participated in a 15‐minute, videotaped interaction in which they discussed a current problem. A microanalytic coding system, the Kategoriensystem fuer Partnerschaftliche Interaktion (KPI), was used to classify each unit of behavior in the videotaped interactions. Correlations were computed between subscales on the CPQ and summary categories on the KPI. The correlations were generally supportive of the CPQ as a measure of couples' communication. In particular, the Constructive Communication Subscale of the CPQ and a summary measure of constructiveness on the KPI were correlated at .51.     

Letting Oneself Go Isn't Enough: Cognitively Oriented Expressive Writing Reduces Preadolescent Peer Problems

Peer problems are a stressor for many early adolescents, and simple cost‐effective tools for managing peer stress are needed. Expressive writing (EW) may be one such tool. With a sample of middle school children aged 12–14 years (n = 119; 53% males), this research evaluates whether cognitively oriented expressive writing (CEW), which focuses more on psychological self‐distancing, improves personal well‐being better than traditional EW, which focuses more on emotional disclosure. CEW—compared with EW—slightly enhanced long‐term social adjustment for the entire sample, and increased positive affect for those early adolescents that reported more peer problems at baseline. These findings suggest that structured writing instructions with early adolescents may be key to improvements.     

Unveiling the mantra. The salience of network-based community belonging in understanding the structural and agentic conditions of the migration-development nexus

There is more and more evidence that migration and development cannot be considered as two dimensions, whose nexus emerges naturally as a mantra with reciprocal advantages both in developing and in developed countries. This article investigates the theoretical framework of a migration-development nexus as a double time-dependent process of social change, at the same time embedded both in the long durée of the reproduction/innovation of social practices and in the short durée of an agent's personal reflectivity. I argue that the wide scenario of this interplay is the place for the cultural, symbolic, and moral dimensions of a migrant's membership of a network-based community, which acts as a cultural compass in determining migrants' attitudes towards the development of their home country. Strong community membership can be associated with real engagement in the development issues of members left behind (as part of the collective self), only if we assume that membership and belonging are not necessarily shaped by kinship or ethnic considerations, but vary according to the structural features of migrants' social networks – for example the way in which migrants define networks as their own communities, the results of past community memories, and how they imagine their future community on the basis of current experience and perception. The paper discusses these issues in the light of the structure-agent debate in social sciences and migration studies.     

Correlations in between EAWS and OCRA Index concerning the repetitive loads of the upper limbs in automobile manufacturing industries

Upper limbs repetitive tasks are one of the main sources of risk for the workers of the manufacturing industries and the standards ISO 11228-3 and EN 1005-5 addressed this issue since 2007. EAWS (European Assembly Worksheet) is a 1st level ergonomic risk assessment method and it provides in its 4th section a score to measure the load level for the upper limbs based on a traffic light scheme. According to the relevant ISO/CEN standards, the OCRA Index is the preferred system to refer to in the evaluation of the biomechanical stress of hand-harm-shoulder system. This correlation study is based on a 45 workstations sample coming from the automobile manufacturing industry. According to the results, EAWS4 shows an excellent correlation with OCRA index (Spearman's rho correlation index 0.95). Being EAWS based on biometric statistical data distribution, its typical application is the process design phase, but adopting a conservative approach in the interpretation of EAWS4 score for risk mapping purposes, it provides an equivalent "reaction" pattern (countermeasures to be taken in the production phase) with respect of OCRA Index with an Odds Ratio ranging from 0.89 (OR-matched) to 1.00 (OR-conservative).     

Likelihood‐Based Estimation of Latent Generalized ARCH Structures

GARCH models are commonly used as latent processes in econometrics, financial economics, and macroeconomics. Yet no exact likelihood analysis of these models has been provided so far. In this paper we outline the issues and suggest a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm which allows the calculation of a classical estimator via the simulated EM algorithm or a Bayesian solution in O(T) computational operations, where T denotes the sample size. We assess the performance of our proposed algorithm in the context of both artificial examples and an empirical application to 26 UK sectorial stock returns, and compare it to existing approximate solutions.     

Recoverable robust timetabling for single delay: Complexity and polynomial algorithms for special cases

In this paper, we study the problem of planning a timetable for passenger trains considering that possible delays might occur due to unpredictable circumstances. If a delay occurs, a timetable could not be able to manage it unless some extra time has been scheduled in advance. Delays might be managed in several ways and the usual objective function considered for such purpose is the minimization of the overall waiting time caused to passengers. We analyze the timetable planning problem in terms of the recoverable robustness model, where a timetable is said to be recoverable robust if it is able to absorb small delays by possibly applying given limited recovery capabilities. The quality of a robust timetable is measured by the price of robustness that is the ratio between the cost of the recoverable robust timetable and that of a non-robust optimal one.     

The personality factor: how top management teams make decisions. A literature review

Past research has increasingly suggested that CEO/TMT personality can play a relevant role in influencing various external (e.g. firm performance) and internal (e.g. firm organizational structure) management outcomes. These promising results need appropriate systematization and discussion, which we aim at providing through a literature review based on rigorous inclusion/exclusion criteria. Our analysis shows great heterogeneity in regard to both the personality traits and the personality based management outcomes explored by the investigated population of studies. Thus, we specifically use the framework provided by the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality to codify the publications and this framework allows us to identify some possible theoretical trajectories. These trajectories mainly regard the empirical testing of the highlighted associations between CEO emotional stability, extraversion and conscientiousness with bureaucratization, strategic pro-activity and firm performance. Our article is primarily intended for those scholars and practitioners who want to improve their knowledge about psychology-based decision making and behavioural corporate governance through the understanding of how CEO/TMT personality can affect their strategic decisions.     

Ergonomic risk assessment with DesignCheck to evaluate assembly work in different phases of the vehicle development process

Occupational hazards exist, if the design of the work situation is not in accordance with ergonomic design principles. At assembly lines ergonomics is applied to the design of work equipment and tasks and to work organisation. The ignoring of ergonomic principles in planning and design of assembly work leads to unfavourable working posture, action force and material handling. Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are of a common occurrence throughout Europe. Musculoskeletal disorders are a challenge against the background of disabled workers. The changes in a worker's capability have to be regarded in the conception of redesigned and new assembly lines. In this way ergonomics becomes progressively more important in planning and design of vehicles: The objective of ergonomic design in different stages of the vehicles development process is to achieve an optimal adaptation of the assembly work to workers. Hence the ergonomic screening tool "Design Check" (DC) was developed to identify ergonomic deficits in workplace layouts. The screening-tool is based on the current ergonomic state of the art in the design of physical work and relevant EU legal requirements. It was tested within a federal German research project at selected work stations at the assembly lines at Dr.-Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG / Stuttgart. Meanwhile the application of the screening-tool DC is transferred in other parts of the Porsche AG, Stuttgart. It is also realized as an ergonomic standard method to perform assembly work in different phases of the vehicle development process.     

The internal logic and contradictions of migration control: An excursion into theory and practice in relation to east‐west migration

The migration problem has acquired a new dimension with the breakdown of State‐Communism which has induced new and variable waves of migration out of Eastern Europe. The response of the West to these waves, as well as to the ever‐increasing likelihood of emigration from countries of the Third World has been one of mounting regulation. The present article critically juxtaposes the underlying, albeit short‐term, logic of regulation with that of East‐West migration — itself a highly variated and differentiated process — in an attempt to demarcate a more comprehensive approach to the East‐West migration subject.     

Religious Barriers to the Diffusion of Same-sex Civil Unions in Italy

Population Research and Policy Review - The legal recognition of civil unions between same-sex partners, in May 2016, could be defined as a revolution for the system of legal norms regarding the...