Residual-based specification of the random-effects distribution for cluster data

We propose a method for specifying the distribution of random effects included in a model for cluster data. The class of models we consider includes mixed models and frailty models whose random effects and explanatory variables are constant within clusters. The method is based on cluster residuals obtained by assuming that the random effects are equal between clusters. We exhibit an asymptotic relationship between the cluster residuals and variations of the random effects as the number of observations increases and the variance of the random effects decreases. The asymptotic relationship is used to specify the random-effects distribution. The method is applied to a frailty model and a model used to describe the spread of plant diseases.     

Disunity within the house of labor: Change to win or to stay the course?

In September 2005, six unions representing 5.4 million workers held their founding convention as a new federation independent of the AFL-CIO. Infelicitously named “Change to Win Federation” (CTWF), the new alliance has called for a rededication of union resources and energies towards organizing the unorganized. Although CTWF has occasioned considerable interest and speculation among labor supporters and observers, it is difficult to determine why the break occurred, other than, perhaps, the personal agenda of some of its leaders. An unstated, significant reason may be a desire on the rebels’ part to operate relatively free of “noraiding” strictures of the AFL-CIO, even though the group disclaims any interest in challenging existing bargaining relationships and has penned “solidarity pacts” with some of its principal AFL-CIO competitors and with state and local units of the federation. Competitive forces are missing in the market for workplace representation services. The new group may reignite the rival unionism that spurred organized labor’s marked growth from 1935–1954, but early returns suggest an emphasis on militant posturing and on trendy, implausible themes such as “global unionism” and “subcontracting out strikes.”     

Economic motives for family limitation

Abstract Taiwan can boast one of the most rapid rates of economic development in the world over the past 20 years. Taiwan is also in the midst of the demographic transition. The nature of the connection between economic development and the onset and progress of the fertility decline is far from clear, however. Rather than explore the relation between income and fertility change, this paper will be concerned with some of the economic motivations which may be responsible for fertility decline during the demographic transition. Inquiries in this area have been handicapped by having to rely on aggregative or on household data which included only a very limited set of economic variables (other than income) along with demographic data. In order to re-examine the linkages between economic change and fertility change at the family level, a special survey was conducted in Taiwan in 1969. While recognizing that economic factors are not wholly, perhaps not even primarily, responsible for the lowering of the birth rate, the central interest of this paper is the complex of cost and benefit considerations which may contribute to a decline of the rate, using the new data for Taiwan.     

Multi-stage scheduling for banks by mathematical programming

Despite moves toward electronic funds transfer systems, the United States banking industry must continue to cope with the paper processing requirements associated with a payments system still heavily reliant upon checks. Through the development of MICR (magnetic ink character recognition), computers have been utilized to sort documents and post customer accounts. However, a labor intensive key encoding function is required to prepare documents for processing. An attempt to eliminate the labor intensity is the recent development of optical scanning capture equipment which ‘reads’ printed or hand-written documents and inscribes them with MICR characters. However, the utilization of optical scanning technology requires the scheduling and coordination of five processing activities. A mathematical programming model has been developed which minimizes the combination of payroll and float costs while recognizing machine capacity constraints in the scheduling of optical capture systems. The formulation was specifically designed to respond to the bank check processing scheduling problem. However, with minor modifications, the model is directly transferable to any multi-echelon processing system where penalties are incurred when the units of output fail to meet prespecified deadlines.     

Economic adaptation of refugees in Canada: experience of a quarter century

This paper examines the economic adaptation, in terms of employment and income, for 400,000 refugees, mainly displaced persons, Hungarians, Czechoslovaks, Ugandan Asians, Chileans, and Indochinese, in Canada during the last 25 years. The author looks at 1) east in obtaining a first job, 2) unemployment, 3) wives' employment, 4) job search techniques, and 5) occupation. Economic climate largely determines the time needed to find a first job. 55% of Hungarian refugees in 1957-58 found a job within a month; only 30% of Czechoslovak refugees in 1968-69 found a job within a month. Refugees and regular immigrants have higher unemployment than native Canadians; but the rate drops dramatically within a few years. Employment and unemployment for refugees is influenced by 1) prevailing labor market conditions, 2) English and/or French language proficiency, 3) sympathy by the population for the refugees, 4) support by people of the same ethnic group, and 5) the refugees' own adaptability. Survey results show that more refugee wives are employed than Canadian born wives; over 69% of Chilean refugee women worked in 1975-76. Most refugees use the Canada Employment Center, and informal channels such as "word of mouth" and friends and relatives to find jobs. Lack of qualifications and experience, and lack of language proficiency hinder many refugees in finding jobs for which they have trained. Income is an indicator of the success of refugee economic adaptation. Refugees, like regular immigrants, have lower than average income levels in their first years in Canada; however, they often earn more than the Canadian born after the difficult first years. Family incomes, because of female labor force participation, may widen the differences even more. Although many refugees are not working in their intended professions, most refugee groups have adjusted well economically in Canada.     

India-born immigrants in Australia and Canada: a comparison of selected characteristics

"This article examines the Indian component of Asian immigration to Canada and Australia, reviews briefly the historical background of Indian immigration, discusses the characteristics of India-born immigrants and explores their social impact upon both nations. A comparative approach is adopted to highlight similarities and differences." (SUMMARY IN FRE AND SPA)     

Communication system between District Health Office and Primary Health Centre

This is a pilot study undertaken by the authors to analyse the communication system as prevalent in health services at District Health Office (DHO) and five Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under it. The five PHCs were randomly selected under DHO Bellary. The authors study the nature of communication of correspondences pertaining to establishment matters, health intelligence and health activities for the first quarter of the financial year between the DHO and PHCs level, pinpoint deficiencies and list out suggestions.     

Towards a Theory of Network Facilitation: A Microfoundations Perspective on the Antecedents,Practices and Outcomes of Network Facilitation

Firms cooperate in inter‐firm networks to foster their competitiveness and improve their innovation outcomes. In many cases, network facilitators who are either embedded in a lead firm or a third‐party organization manage the cooperation among the network firms. This qualitative study adopts a microfoundations perspective to investigate the behavioural antecedents of the network facilitators, their facilitation practices and the related network‐level outcomes. Results show that lead‐firm facilitators more strongly invest in trust‐building measures since they are considered deficient in benevolence and integrity. Without these investments, they run the risk that conflicts of interest hinder the stimulation of positive network‐level outcomes. Third‐party facilitators, by contrast, enjoy certain credits of trust and focus on balancing firm interests from the network's activation, but need to invest in enhancing their competencies and skills with regard to the industry the firms operate in. The findings contribute to developing a theory of network facilitation by providing a nuanced understanding of how network‐level outcomes can be reduced to individual‐level factors.