Adolescent Depression and Future Smoking Behavior: A Prospective Study

The aim of the study was to examine the associations between depressive symptoms and smoking, concurrently and prospectively, in adolescents in America, the evaluation of depressive symptoms according to different group’s smoking status, and the assessed associations between concurrent depressive level and success in smoking cessation. The participants were 2,735 boys and 2,890 girls from the Add Health data set. The prospective analysis indicated that participants with higher depressive symptoms in Wave I were more likely to start smoking and become regular smokers in Wave II. Moreover, regression analysis found that depressive symptoms in both Waves I and II predicted current smoking status. Findings are discussed within the context of the empirical and theoretical review and implications for social work practice are considered.     

Intercultural relations in the European Union: Economic convergences verses social mobility

The purpose of this paper is to analyze intercultural relations within the European Union, with the 10 new members that have joined in 2004. We define intercultural relations in terms of the difference between the benefits of economic convergence versus the problems of social mobility issues implied by the economic convergence in the European Union, especially with regard to the labor market. This analysis has implications for any region that is experiencing rapid globalization.     

Institutionalization of Trust as Response to Globalization: The Case of Consumer Cooperatives in South Korea

This paper explores an explanation which elaborates how individuals effectively enact and sustain trust in the sphere of social economy and the capability. I discuss how value employed by actors and the strategies and power relation in the socio-economic value sphere and focus on the function of ‘trust’ as the key mechanism of the interaction. This paper examine South Korean consumer cooperative Hansalim as a case of social economy which successfully institutionalize their system in competitive economic market arena.      

A nonparametric test for diagnosis of the proportionality assumption

We propose a nonparametric test for diagnosis of the proportionality assumption between hazard functions based on a functional equation. Because of involvement of censoring distribution, we consider the test procedure in an asymptotic manner and obtain the asymptotic normality for the proposed test statistic. Then we discuss the rationale of use of the functional equation for the initial effect model. Finally we compare our test with others using an example.     

Effects of knowledge management strategy on organizational performance: A complementarity theory-based approach

The extant research investigating the relationship between knowledge management (KM) strategies and organizational performance has yielded inconclusive results. Our paper revisits this research problem by drawing on complementarity theory from Economics. The empirical segment of our work is based on data on KM strategies and organizational performance from a sample of 131 Korean firms. Our results suggest three types of relationship among KM strategies: non-complementarity, and non-critical symmetric complementarity, and asymmetric complementarity. Integrating explicit-oriented with tacit-oriented KM strategies showed non-complementarity, which suggests a drag on obtaining higher levels of organizational performance. Our analysis of KM strategies based on KM source shows that companies could benefit from KM by implementing external-oriented or internal-oriented strategy. Combining the tacit-internal-oriented and explicit-external-oriented KM strategies indicates a complementarity relationship, which implies synergistic effects of KM strategies on performance.     

Three measures of non‐resident fathers' involvement,maternal parenting and child development in low‐income single‐mother families

This study examined the relationships among non‐resident fathers' involvement, mothers' parenting and parenting stress, and children's behavioural and cognitive development in low‐income single‐mother families. Based on the theoretical concepts of father involvement in terms of accessibility, responsibility and interaction, this study operationalizes fathers' involvement with three different measures: (i) fathers' frequency of contact with their children; (ii) fathers' amount of child support payment; and (iii) fathers' quality of parenting. Analyses used the first three waves of longitudinal data from a subsample of single and non‐cohabiting mothers with low income in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Results suggest that non‐resident fathers' child support payment is indirectly associated with both children's behaviour problems and cognitive development. Fathers' parenting is also found to be indirectly associated with children's behaviour problems. The findings further suggest that those estimated associations are transmitted through mothers' parenting. The expected associations between fathers' contact and child outcomes are not found in this sample. The study also discusses the policy and practice implications of its findings.     

A Qualitative Study of Victim Offender Mediation: Implications for Social Work

Restorative justice has grown extensively in recent years. However, existing research data indicate a lack of information regarding its process. This qualitative study aimed at providing an understanding of the experiences of participants in the delivery process. In addition to observation, 34 face-to-face interviews were conducted with 37 individuals. Analyses yielded important insights into multiple layers of participants' experiences. Though the participants indicated having had positive experiences, some insensitive approaches toward victims were also pointed out. This article discusses the implications in moving toward victim-sensitive restorative justice and for the social work profession.     

A content analysis of the newspaper coverage of the three major hurricanes in 2005

As the primary means of communication between government agencies and the general population, the media play an important role in shaping how the public perceives a potential risk. Risk communicators should carefully consider media coverage of disaster to successfully communicate with the public in the future. This paper examines the content of Hurricane news stories and the framing patterns (e.g., emotional vs. logical) used by local newspapers 1 week before the occurrences of three major hurricanes in 2005. “Actions to take to prevent the risk” was the most frequently covered content, followed by “anticipated damages.” The majority of the risk content was presented using logical framing patterns.     

Optimal row-column designs for complete diallel crosses

Universally optimal row-column designs for complete, diallel crosses are investigated. Three series of designs that require just one replication of the crosses are provided. A series of designs having two replications of each cross is also provided.