A Learning Real Options Framework with Application to Process Design and Capacity Planning

This paper studies the impact of learning on a multi‐staged investment scenario. In contrast to other models in the real options literature in which learning is viewed as a passive consequence of the delay period, this paper quantifies information acquisition by merging statistical decision theory with the real options framework. In this context, real option attributes are discussed from a Bayesian perspective, thresholds are identified for improved decision‐making, and information's impact on downstream decision‐making is discussed. Using real data provided by a firm in the aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul industry, the methodology is used to guide a multi‐phased irreversible investment decision involving process design and capacity planning.     

Social Capital as Exchange: Its Contribution to Morale

A way to clarify the measurement of social capital is the differentiation of its bases on opportunity and exchange. Social capital based on opportunity incorporates organizational participation, network strength, trust, helping and continuing relationships, whereas social capital based on exchange consists of the investment and reciprocation of help. An empirical hint for verifying the social capital measurement is its predictability of morale. Based on survey data from 201 Japanese residents, the study examined various measurements of social capital based on 10 indicators and their prediction of morale. Results revealed that social capital based on exchange was sufficient to contribute to morale, and essentially represented the salutary part of social capital. As social capital based on opportunity had no contribution to morale, a refined measurement of social capital can just concentrate on its basis on exchange.     

A systematic review of the association between lower urinary tract symptoms and falls,injuries, and fractures in community-dwelling older men

Background: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have been associated with falls in studies either exclusively or predominantly of women. It is, therefore, less clear if LUTS are risk factors for falls in men.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature on the association between LUTS and falls, injuries, and fractures in community-dwelling older men. Medline, Embase, and Cinahl were searched for any type of observational study that has been published in a peer-reviewed journal in English language. Studies were excluded if they did not report male-specific data or targeted specific patient populations. Results were summarized qualitatively.

Results: Three prospective cohort studies and six cross-sectional studies were identified. Incontinence, urgency, nocturia, and frequency were consistently shown to have weak to moderate association with falls (the point estimates of odds ratio and relative risk ranged from 1.31 to 1.67) in studies with low risk of bias for confounding. Only frequency was shown to be associated with fractures.

Conclusions: Urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract storage symptoms are associated with falls in community-dwelling older men. The circumstances of falls in men with LUTS need to be investigated to generate hypotheses about what types of interventions may be effective in reducing falls.     

Gay Abuse Screening Protocol (GASP): screening for abuse in gay male relationships

Thirty-two male patients in gay relationships and eight family physicians were recruited from a family practice in order to determine comfort with an eight-question Gay Abuse Screening Protocol (GASP). The GASP was administered during a typical clinical encounter. After the encounter, physicians and patients each completed a 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire to assess their comfort levels with each of the 8 GASP questions (Likert Scale: 1 = not at all comfortable to 5 = very comfortable). The mean comfort score was high (Likert >4) for both patients (4.16 +/- 0.18) and physicians (4.71 +/- 0.18). However, mean comfort scores were significantly lower for abused patients (3.26 +/- 0.75) than nonabused patients (4.57 +/- 0.26). Patients were comfortable (Likert >3) with 76.2% of GASP items while physicians were comfortable with all GASP items.     

Residential proximity of parents and their adult offspring in the United Kingdom, 2009–10

Using data from a large household survey representative of the UK population, we studied how closely parents and adult children live to each other. We show that residential mobility over the life course tends to increase with the physical distance between the homes of parent and child. There are large differences in intergenerational proximity between the foreign-born and UK-born, and between ethnic groups. The determinants of intergenerational proximity from the parent's viewpoint are not identical to those from the child's viewpoint. Contrary to the findings of some earlier studies, intergenerational proximity, from the child's viewpoint, does not vary with the number of siblings. But from the parent's viewpoint, having more children is unambiguously associated with a higher probability of living close to at least one child. We end with a brief discussion of some possible implications of several long-term demographic trends in the UK for intergenerational proximity.     

论知识管理

知识管理的核心是把企业的显性知识、隐性知识和企业形象等知识财产协调统一地加以管理。知识管理的氛围是公允、正直和鼓励合作;条件是必要的技术基础和组织基础没好的企业文化,尊重知识、尊重人才的内部环境。提出了知识管理的6种战略模型,论述了知识管理的具体内容和实施方法,如建立企业知识库、营造知识共享环境、企业学习、无形资产管理等。     

作用对象导向型营销模式初探

作用对象导向型营销模式以产品的直接作用对象作为研究对象,以预见消费者的需求为基本特征并关注企业的长远发展,它有利于增强企业的市场竞争力.     

Market structure,bank conduct and bank performance: Evidence from ASEAN

Whether banks in a concentrated market increase their profits through monopoly pricing is a question of prime concern for antitrust policies. We explore this question by introducing the role of bank conduct into the structure–performance relationship. We apply Two-step System GMM dynamic panel model to commercial banks in the Association of South East Asian Nations over the period of 1999–2014. The results indicate that the higher profits in concentrated banking industries are partially attributable to the anti-competitive conduct of banks. These findings are robust across alternative measures of market structure and bank conduct, and different time horizons. The implications of these findings require regulators to make sure that the consolidation policy for ASEAN is achieving its purpose – i.e. financial stability – and not allowing the banks to earn monopoly rents.     

The impacts of housing factors on deprivation in a world city: The case of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a typical example of a world city that faces escalating poverty and housing problems. Problems related to housing are crucial in determining deprivation. By means of hierarchical linear regression on a representative survey of Hong Kong residents in 2014, this study examines the impacts of household income and housing factors on the deprivation of residents in Hong Kong. The study indicates that income level has a crucial effect on the deprivation level of households; whereas housing cost per capita, living area per capita, and living quarter problems significantly influence deprivation. A small interacting effect exists between household income and housing factors, which do not influence the independent effects of living area per capita and living quarter problems on deprivation. For the public rental housing residents, only the effect of living quarter problem on deprivation is significant, whereas for private rental housing residents, living area per capita and living quarter problem have a significant effect. Among all the models, housing expense per capita is a significant factor only in model for overcrowded households. The study recommends that improving the maintenance and renovation schemes for public and private housing with poor living environment is a good strategy to improve housing conditions and deprivation. The study suggests that anti‐poverty policies must consider strategies and measures that can improve the housing factors, including housing expenses, living density and living quarter maintenance problems, especially for those residents with high living density, such as those living in bed spaces, cubicles, and subdivided flats.