A team level investigation of the relationship between Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) differentiation,and commitment and performance

Although the differential treatment of team members by their leader is at the heart of Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) theory, empirical studies exploring the role of within-team LMX differentiation in relation to team outcomes are still relatively scarce. This study among 269 Dutch secondary school teachers from 33 different teams tested the hypotheses that the relationship between LMX differentiation and team commitment, and team performance is moderated by LMX-quality median. Moreover, we hypothesized that team members' perceived dissimilarity regarding work values and orientations would be positively related to within-team LMX differentiation. Teachers completed questionnaires on LMX-quality, dissimilarity, and team commitment, whereas team performance was rated by school principals. Results indeed showed that LMX differentiation is positively related to both outcome variables in teams with a low LMX-quality median only. As expected, more perceived dissimilarity between team members was related to more within-team variability in LMX-scores. These results contribute to knowledge on hypothetical antecedents and consequences of LMX differentiation at the team level.     

铁路总价承包合同管理存在的主要问题及对策

结合我国铁路总价承包合同执行现状，对铁路合同专用条款中存在的承发包双方法律地位不对等、工程款拨付比例不切实际、总承包风险费严重不足等主要不合理内容进行剖析，说明不合理的原因。对发包人处理正负量差的方式、工期调整产生的赶工费不能全额解决及部分变更设计在源头上得不到认可等在合同执行过程中存在的问题进行研究。简单分析产生不合理条款和合同执行不到位的主要原因。针对这些不合理条款，提出应对策略。     

Exact distributions of two non-central generalized Wilks's statistics

We derive the exact expressions of the probability density function (pdf) and the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of Wilks's likelihood ratio criterion Λ and Wilks-Lawley's statistic U in the non-central linear and the non-central planar cases. Those expressions are given in rapidly converging infinite series and can be used for numerical computation. For applications, we compute the exact power of these statistics in a multivariate analysis of variance exercise, and show by simulation the precision of our analytic formulae.     

The turn to optional familialism through the market: Long‐term care,cash‐for‐care,and caregiving policies in Europe

Cash‐for‐care (CfC) schemes are monetary transfers to people in need of care who can use them to organize their own care arrangements. Mostly introduced in the 1990s, these schemes combine different policy objectives, as they can aim at (implicitly or explicitly) supporting informal caregivers as well as increasing user choice in long‐term care or even foster the formalization of care relations and the creation of care markets. This article explores from a comparative perspective, how CfC schemes, within broader long‐term care policies, envision, frame, and aim to condition informal care, if different models of relationships between CfC and informal care exist and how these have persisted or changed over time and into which directions. Building on the scholarly debate on familialization vs. defamilialization policies, the paper proposes an analytical framework to investigate the trajectories of seven European countries over a period of 20 years. The results show that, far from being simply instruments of supported familialism, CfC schemes have contributed to a turn towards “optional familialism through the market,” according to which families are encouraged to provide family care and are (directly or indirectly) given alternatives through the provision of market care.     

How choice proliferation affects revealed preferences

Theory and Decision - Whereas the literature on choice overload has shown that people tend to defer their choice or experience less satisfaction under choice proliferation, this paper aims to test...     

霍布斯论平等

文章系统地分析了霍布斯哲学理论中数学概念 “相等”以及实践哲学概念 “平等” 的内涵;并在此基础上通过比较指明了两者的相关性。霍布斯在两种意义上使用 “相等”概念: 该概念的一般用法是意指具有量的规定性的不同对象在量上的同一关系;其特殊用法是意指缺 乏量的规定性的不同对象 (比如几何点与几何点、瞬时与瞬时)的不可公度性的事实。霍布斯 在两种意义上使用 “平等”概念:自然平等意指自然人由于无法确定测度彼此的未来行动，从 而引起的不安全感或在行动上不确定的心理状态;政治平等则意指国家成员的行动品质和行动 与国家法相符合的特征。这样，霍布斯实践哲学中的 “政治平等”与 “自然平等”概念可以看 作是其数学中 “相等”概念两种用法的延伸;只是在其实践哲学中，待比较的对象不是量，而 是行动者的行为;充当公度的不是数学单位，而是国家法。     

Assessing Participation and Effectiveness of the Peer-Led Approach in Youth Sexual Health Education: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in More Developed Countries

Sexual health education for young people is crucial not only for development of norms but also for protection against vulnerabilities during this stage in life. Although several systematic reviews have examined the effectiveness of peer-led sex education, none have focused on the extent of peer participation. The purpose of this review was to evaluate peer-led sexual health education interventions in more developed countries (MDCs). Electronic and manual searches across five social science, education, and medical databases were conducted. Fifteen articles were selected in total. Most (10 of 15) studies gave low or no responsibility to peers. The majority of articles found improvements in sexual health knowledge (13 of 14) and attitudes (11 of 15) at postintervention stages. Two studies showed improved self-efficacy, and three showed behavioral changes. A preliminary synthesis of effectiveness and level of participation was done. Meta-analysis revealed a large effect on knowledge change (Hedges’ g = 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43 to 1.25) and a medium effect on attitude change (Hedges’ g = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.80). Peer-led interventions could be a powerful tool. This review shows that this approach is effective in changing knowledge and attitudes but not behaviors. Further research and action are needed to understand optimal implementation.     

An overlook on statistical inference issues for stochastic damping hamiltonian systems under the fluctuation-dissipation condition

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we are interested in nonparametric inference issues for stochastic damping hamiltonian systems under the fluctuation-dissipation condition. This condition relates the magnitude of the dissipative term and the magnitude of the random term. The precise balance between the drift term which removes energy in average and the stochastic term provided by the fluctuation-dissipation relation insures that the canonical measure is preserved by the dynamics. In this framework, it is possible to give an explicit construction of a Lyapunov function and thus to prove exponential ergodicity. Then, we consider various estimation procedures and provide also a numerical section, where simulations are conducted.     

The Distribution of Returns to Education for People with Disabilities

This article takes a first look at the distribution of returns to education for people with disabilities, a particularly disadvantaged group whose labor market performances have not been well studied or documented. Using a nonparametric approach, we uncover significant heterogeneity in the returns to education for these workers, which is drastically masked by conventional parametric methods. Based on these estimates, we construct the Sharpe ratio of human capital investment (taking into account its substantial risk), and our results corroborate the claimed importance of human capital in improving these workers’ wages. Our stochastic dominance tests show that the returns to education for workers with disabilities, as a group, may have been affected more adversely in the most recent recession, relative to their non-disabled counterparts.