Challenging the path of least resistance

A serious deficit in clinical literature seems related to the dynamics and treatment for low frustration tolerance that can go beyond the treatment of a specific symptom or diagnostic category. This article discusses the meaning and manifestations of low frustration tolerance, identifies its major cognitive components, and uses Ellis' rational-emotive approach as a mode of intervention to combat those cognitions.     

Informal care substitution: what we don't know can hurt us

Empirical studies focusing on the relationship between formal and informal home care do little to quell the fears of policymakers that expanded access to public home care services will result in the withdrawal of informal support. A close examination of the studies designed to measure the withdrawal of informal support justifies this skepticism. Concerns about the withdrawal of informal care may hinder the introduction of more extensive home care benefits. Researchers have come some distance in trying to address this policy question. The conflicting nature of empirical findings, thus far, demonstrates that the answer depends heavily on how the question is framed, how home care is measured and over what time frame, and what sorts of analytic approaches are used to model the relationship between formal and informal community-based care. This article discusses these issues in greater detail and suggests strategies to address these problems in future research.     

Comparing the relative abilities of tree species to cool the urban environment

Increasing urbanisation poses numerous challenges to human quality of life. Cities are particularly vulnerable to the urban heat-island effect, which will be amplified by climate change. Increasing tree cover may be one of the most cost-effective ways of moderating urban temperatures. Trees cool their surroundings by casting shade, reflecting solar radiation, transpiring, and intercepting rainfall that subsequently evaporates. However, the potential of trees to reduce the urban heat-island effect is underutilised. The aim of this study was to synthesise understanding of the relative abilities of different tree species to provide urban cooling in temperate regions of the world and thereby develop a pragmatic approach for choosing those trees that have greatest potential in that regard. Based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews with leading experts, we developed a series of scenarios to illustrate the impacts of a tree’s cooling mechanisms and tree species’ attributes on components of the surface-energy balance equation. This enabled us to select parameters and propose simple equations that can be used to compare the relative abilities of tree species in relation to each of the cooling mechanisms. The parameters selected were for: transpiration – crown diameter, Leaf Area Index (LAI), canopy aspect ratio, and stomatal conductance or growth rate; reflection – albedo, crown diameter and LAI; shading – canopy aspect ratio, crown diameter, LAI and tree height. The approach is intended for use by urban planners and managers who wish to make informed decisions about which tree species to select for planting to counter the urban heat-island effect.     

Attributions and Institutional Processing: How Focal Concerns Guide Decision-Making in the Juvenile Court

This paper investigates institutional decision-making processes and identify mechanisms that link case processing with subsequent outcomes. Using a sample of juvenile court cases containing probation officers’ narratives, this study investigated court actors’ focal concerns and how such priorities shape attributions about youth. This paper adds to existing sociological work on institutional decision-making by (1) illustrating court actors’ focal concerns that are used to process juvenile cases, (2) identifying decision-making mechanisms that link norms and values to case assessments and outcomes, and (3) theorizing about the ways in which individual and case characteristics can influence institutional decision-making.     

Are Instructors Who Have “Practical Experience” Necessarily Superior to Those Who Don’t?

Personal or practical experience is often touted as a uniquely valuable source of knowledge in academia, as in everyday life. Assumptions about the necessity, superiority, or insightfulness of “first-hand familiarity” with a phenomenon (such as working as a police officer or suffering discrimination) can shape hiring decisions, influence how faculty members present themselves, and guide the developmental trajectory of departments. These assumptions can be superficial, however. This article questions the universal appeal of personal experience by arguing that it is not without limitations; not always possible, desirable, or relevant; sometimes not dramatically distinct from other ways of knowing; and sometimes inferior to other ways of knowing. Prior experience can have benefits, but is not an unassailable source of knowledge and should not be treated as an unqualified “good.”     

The Founder's Legacy: Hangover or Inheritance?

The legacy of organizational founders is a comparatively under‐studied topic. Through two in‐depth case studies, this article explores the factors which influence whether founding strategic visions, objectives or decisions influence present‐day strategic choice. Furthermore, the study identifies and explores a number of factors which influence whether a strategic legacy is categorized as either an inheritance or a hangover. The article begins with an overview of existing research into the role of the founder, commitment and strategic inertia, which suggests that additional research is required to clarify the legacy of company founders. After a review of the research design and methodology adopted for the study, the findings of two case studies are presented. The findings suggest that the initial establishment of a strong organizational culture, continuing perceptions of success as well as successive family control all contribute to an adherence to the founding strategy, mission or objectives. In addition, the study indicates that the flexibility of the original strategy and environmental issues impact on the extent to which the strategic legacy is classified as an inheritance or a hangover. The article culminates in a series of conclusions and implications.