Analysis of the Better Life Index Trough a Cluster Algorithm

Social Indicators Research - This paper discusses some concepts attributed to the term well-being and different ways to measure it. Then we present an alternative approach based on clustering...     

Ergonomic analysis of the work conditions of porters and owners of the Supply Center of Campinas, SP

Transforming work conditions is part of the ergonomic action that should help to improve work situations that brings risks to the workers health. six workers were observed in different locations of the supply center (Central Free Market, Free Market 2, Flowers Market and Permanent Shed 4). During the observation of workers to the Ergonomic Analysis of Work - AET (Rohmert and Landau) was performed. The workers were divided into two groups: porters and owners. The porters were the most susceptible to the risks of work and minor accidents with sharp wood from boxes or even risk of traffic accidents as pedestrians. However, regarding the use of mental ability for negotiations, use of computers and organizing and planning the establishment of work, the owners were the ones that most time played these activities. The ergonomics advocates work that can be transformed and that favors employee and employer. It is, therefore, intended to redefine the strategies that are embedded into the organizational structure of work.     

Methodological proceedings to evaluate the physical accessibility in urban historic sites

Historic urban sites are set by cultural and social diversities, generating multiple activities and use and access to these sites should be available to all people including those with disabilities. Taking into consideration that using the same methodology that was used in different historic sites researches with positive results facilitates replication, we aimed to develop methodological procedures that identify conditions of physical accessibility in open public spaces and access to public buildings in historic urban sites to support proposals about design requirements for improvements to the problems diagnosed and control inadequacies of the physical environment. The study methods and techniques from different areas of knowledge culminated in a proposal built with an emphasis on user participation that could be applied with low cost and in relatively short period of time.     

The Portuguese Version of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Competency Scale II – Assessment Subscale: Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties

The current study aimed to test the fit of the Portuguese version of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Competency Scale II – Assessment subscale (GSWCS-A) and explore its factor structure and psychometric properties in a sample of 534 social workers working in the gerontology field. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that all items presented good factor loadings and that the single-component model fit the data well. The GSWCS-A showed very good internal consistency. Despite the existence of different theoretical perspectives on Social Work, which frame the required competencies for professional practice, the GSWCS-A Portuguese version revealed similitudes with studies conducted in other countries. Nevertheless, the different factor structures (single-component vs. bi-factorial) may indicate that different competencies are being emphasised in terms of professional training. To sum, the GSWCS-A may be a short and useful self-report instrument for addressing social workers’ assessment competencies in the gerontology setting.     

THE CHARITY OF THE EXTREMELY WEALTHY

In this article, we show that, compared to billionaires who have inherited their wealth, billionaires who have made their own wealth are more likely to sign the Giving Pledge and more likely to be in the Million Dollar Gifts list or the Philanthropy Top 50 list of big givers. If they give, self‐made billionaires also tend to donate more money. We explore several possible explanations for this correlation between the origin of billionaires' wealth and their charitable giving, and present evidence that suggests that self‐made billionaires tend to spend more money, both by giving money away and by buying expensive items. (JEL D03, H40)     

Arbitrage and global cones: Another counterexample

Chichilnisky (1997) claims that another variant of her condition limiting arbitrage is necessary and sufficient for existence of equilibrium and nonemptiness of the core in an economy with short sales allowing half lines in indifference surfaces. Her proof, however, is based on a proposition purporting to relate her notion of “global cone” (see Chichilnisky (1997) for references) to the Page-Wooders “increasing cone.” In this paper, we present a counterexample showing that parts (i) and (ii) of Chichilnisky's proposition are false. Thus, Chichilnisky's claimed result is without proof. Received: 18 August 1997/Accepted: 30 January 1998     

Food‐Retail Development and the Myth of Everyday Low Prices: The Case of Brazil

This article analyses the changes in Brazilian food retailing by investigating the co‐existence of, and the pricing variation across, large supermarket chains and small independent supermarkets. It uses cointegration tests to show that, despite the widespread belief that small supermarkets are inefficient and charge higher prices, they in fact charge lower prices. Accordingly, in contrast to the prevailing literature on food‐retail development, competition in food retail is complex and cannot be described as a simple Darwinian process of market concentration. The article explores the survival of small retail and its consequences for the current discussion on modern food retail in developing countries.     

Work ability among nursing personnel in public hospitals and health centers in Campinas--Brazil

Nursing personnel is essential in hospital, health centers and enterprises and is the large work force in health system. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a large city in two public hospitals and five health centre with the objective of to evaluate the work ability and health aspects of nursing staff. The sample was composed by 570 workers. The Work Ability Index - WAI and a questionnaire with socio-demographic, health and life style data was applied. The majority of workers was women (83%), married (50.4%), and was working in night shift work (65.6%); 61.4% was auxiliary nursing, 22.3% was registered nurses (RN). The average age was 38.9 years (SD 7.8) and the Body Mass Index mean was 25.8 (SD 5.3). Only 17.2% referred to practice at least 150 minutes of physical exercise five times per week or more. 26.8% had a second job. The work ability mean was 39.3 (SD 5.3) points. Age had a negative correlation with WAI (p=0.0052). Public hospital and health centre workers had poor work ability score when compared with workers from another branches. Public policies related to workplace health promotion need to be implemented in public hospital and health centre to improve the work ability.     

When work hurts: A conceptual framework explaining how organizational culture may perpetuate workplace bullying

This work was motivated by research findings, suggesting that the prevalence of workplace bullying is increasing across the world. The workplace bullying research further suggests that the basic risk determinants of bullying lie in an organization’s work environment and that prevalence of workplace bullying may vary by occupation, sector, and country. Upon reviewing the existing literature, it becomes apparent that while organizational culture can be both indirectly and directly related to workplace bullying, references to the relationship between organizational culture and workplace bullying remain scant and what is available lacks substantive conceptual foundation. To address this apparent gap in research, the main purpose of this article is to present an integrated conceptual framework proposing the relationships between specific organizational culture dimensions and workplace bullying. The article was specifically written in accordance with previous studies which highlight factors that may perpetuate workplace bullying within organizations. While highly theoretical and conceptual in nature, this article is one that may be important in explaining how some organizational cultures may motivate, facilitate, perpetuate, enable, and precipitate workplace bullying, and thus offers insights into how to prevent workplace bullying by creating less enabling environments. The article concludes by offering theoretical arguments for how organizations should monitor, manage, and eradicate changeable organizational cultural practices that may otherwise enable workplace bullying.     

An Intuitive Geometric Approach to the Gauss Markov Theorem

Algebraic proofs of Gauss–Markov theorem are very disappointing from an intuitive point of view. An alternative is to use geometry that emphasizes the essential statistical ideas behind the result. This article presents a truly geometrical intuitive approach to the theorem, based only in simple geometrical concepts, like linear subspaces and orthogonal projections.