Sixteen years ofJapa: A content analysis of theJournal of the Australian Population Association

This paper presents results of a content analysis of all articles published in theJournal of the Australian Population Association during its sixteen-year history, 1984–99. The findings show that geographic focus, principal subject area and analytical procedure did not change significantly over the period. About three-quarters of articles focused exclusively on Australia and the most common subject areas were fertility and migration. Most articles had one author but this declined over time. Females constituted only one-fifth of sole and first authors and one-quarter of all authors; these proportions decreased in recent periods. About two-fifths of first and all authors were affiliated with the Australian National University. The findings are compared with those of a similar analysis ofDemography.     

Mechanization in building construction projects: assessment and views from the practitioners

Abstract

While mechanization has been widely adopted in the current construction industry, little research has been done to assess the level of mechanization in building construction projects. The aims of this study are to propose a framework that can assess the level of mechanization in building construction projects, to develop a computer-based tool that can help assess mechanization levels, and to collect the views of industry practitioners regarding mechanization. To achieve these goals, a comprehensive literature review was conducted first, and based on which a six-layer assessment framework, namely Mechanization Index for Building Construction Projects, was proposed. After that, Mechanization Index Assessment Tool, a computer-based tool that can assess the level of mechanization in building construction projects, was developed. The developed tool was adopted in 14 construction projects in Singapore. Assessment results showed that the mechanization level of the projects was 48.54 percent out of 100, which is moderate. Results also reported that ‘site preparation’ and ‘underground piping’ were two work types that are more mechanized, while work types of ‘formwork’, ‘tiling’, and ‘painting’ were relatively less mechanized. Additionally, industry practitioners perceived that the mechanization levels in the current building construction projects and industry were moderate and more efforts should be put in this regard, especially from the perspective of the industry. This study is the first piece of research work that assesses the level of mechanization in building construction projects and thus, it contributes to the body of knowledge. Furthermore, the assessment tool developed can easily be used either by industry practitioners or by construction authorities to do mechanization assessment. Thus, this study contributes to the practice as well.     

A Preliminary Investigation of Risks for Adverse Outcomes of Relationship Seeking on Social Network Sites (SNS): A Descriptive Study of Women Over 50 Seeking Relationships on MySpace in Hillsborough County,Florida

In contrast to younger populations, little attention has been paid to the increase in seniors using Internet-based venues to find relationships and the potential risk for adverse outcomes this poses. This study examined data collected via an online survey from 45 ethnically diverse women aged 50+ “seeking relationships” on MySpace. The majority of women reported a relationship with someone they met online (85%). They also reported experiencing adverse events including financial exploitation (40%), threats (55%), and physical harm (38%) by someone they met online at levels greater than traditional relationship seeking in the general population. Directions for future research are explored.     

More but not better jobs in Chile? The fundamental importance of open‐ended contracts

Chilean governments since 1990 have relied on economic growth to generate employment, higher wages and better conditions of employment. But the results of this policy have been mixed: quantitative improvements in employment and wages have not been matched by improvements in job quality. Contrasting Chile's seemingly rigid regulatory framework with its actual labour market flexibility, the authors stress the importance of employment conditions in assessing labour market performance. They empirically explore the effects of individual and job characteristics on employment and income‐generating capabilities, whose most powerful determinant, they find, is employment under an open‐ended contract. They conclude with a discussion of policy implications.     

Exploring social constructions of followership: A qualitative study

This study adopts a qualitative approach to deconstruct the meaning of followership. Interviews were conducted with employees in various industries to examine how individuals socially construct their roles as followers and to explore followership schemas and contextual influences that relate to these constructions. Results suggest that while some individuals socially construct definitions around passivity, deference and obedience, others emphasize the importance of constructively questioning and challenging their leaders. With regard to personal qualities that are thought to make followers effective, major themes such as obedience, expressing opinions, and taking initiative were found to be most disparate across different groups of followers. Results also revealed that contextual factors may affect both followership constructions and behavior in the follower role. These findings have important implications regarding a need to examine the construct of followership in leadership research, as well as raise interesting possibilities for advancing an “expanded” view of leadership in organizations.     

Education,Matching, and the Allocative Value of Romance

Societies are characterized by customs governing the allocation of non‐market goods such as marital partnerships. We explore how such customs affect the educational investment decisions of young singles and the subsequent joint labor supply decisions of partnered couples. We consider two separate matching paradigms—one where partners marry for money and the other where partners marry for romantic reasons orthogonal to productivity or debt. Whereas marrying for money generates greater investment efficiency, romantic matching, by increasing the number of educated and talented women who participate in the labour market, increases aggregate productivity. (JEL: I21, J12, J16, J41)     

INTERNAL COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND ARMED VIOLENCE IN COLOMBIA

This paper exploits time variations in international cocaine prices and potential trafficking routes within Colombia to estimate the effect of the illegal cocaine trade on changes in municipality homicide rates. I construct the potential internal cocaine-trafficking network and exploit the fact that different regions in Colombia have comparative advantages in serving different international markets. My results suggest that when cocaine prices increase in either the United States or Europe, homicide rates increase in municipalities strategically placed to serve each international market. (JEL D74, K42, F19)     

Parent–child joint media engagement in infancy

Early conversations are an important source in shaping children's cognitive and emotional development, and it is vital to understand how parents use media as a platform to engage in conversations with their young children and what might predict the quality of these interactions. Thus, in the current study we explored the nature of parent–child discourse while engaging in media (i.e., joint media engagement) with infants, and how parent (empathic concern and responsiveness) and child (negative emotionality and regulatory capacity) variables might be associated with the quality of engagement. The current study consisted of 269 infants (50% female, M_age = 17.09 months, SD = 3.93; 59% White) and their primary caregiver (98% mothers) who engaged in a variety of in‐home tasks and parental questionnaires. Results established three meaningful codes for both parent and child that assessed positive and negative joint media engagement. Further, results suggested that parental empathic concern was associated with positive parent and child media engagement, while child negative emotionality was associated with lower levels of distraction. Discussion focuses on the importance of studying parent–child discourse in the context of joint media engagement and recommends limiting media exposure before 18 months of age.     

Canada’s forced birth travel: towards feminist indigenous reproductive mobilities

ABSTRACT

The mandatory travel for birth experienced by Indigenous women living in rural and remote areas of Canada is examined using an emergent lens of Indigenous reproductive mobilities. Current evacuation practices are contextualized within the historic and ongoing systems of oppression experienced by Indigenous people in Canada. Indigenous feminist and decolonial theoretical approaches are used to outline one way in which Indigenous women counter settler colonialism to assert sovereignty over their birth experiences – through the resurgence of culturally-based doulas or birth workers. A further contribution of these analyses is the inclusion and centering of the voices and experiences of those previously neglected within this particular body of scholarship, shifting the power relations underpinning reproductive mobilities.