Testing for homogeneity in cross-lagged panel studies

Panel studies are statistical studies in which two or more variables are observed for two or more subjects at two or more points In time. Cross- lagged panel studies are those studies in which the variables are continuous and divide naturally into two effects or impacts of each set of variables on the other. If a regression approach is taken5 a regression structure Is formulated for the cross-lagged models This structure may assume that the regression parameters are homogeneous across waves and across subpopulations. Under such assumptions the methods of multivariate regression analysis can be adapted to make inferences about the parameters. These inferences are limited to the degree that homogeneity of the parameters Is 'supported b}T the data. We consider the problem of testing the hypotheses of homogeneity and consider the problem of making statistical inferences about the cross-effects should there be evidence against one of the homogeneity assumptions. We demonstrate the methods developed by applying then to two panel data sets.     

Approximate entropy: Statistical properties and applications

ApEn, approximate entropy, is a recently developed family of parameters and statistics quantifying regularity (complexity) in data, providing an information-theoretic quantity for continuous-state processes. We provide the motivation for ApEn development, and indicate the superiority of ApEn to the K-S entropy for statistical application, and for discrimination of both correlated stochastic and noisy deterministic processes. We study the variation of ApEn with input parameter choices, reemphasizing that ApEn is a relative measure of regularity. We study the bias in the ApEn statistic, and present evidence for asymptotic normality in the ApEn distributions, assuming weak dependence. We provide a new test for the hypothesis that an underlying time-series is generated by i.i.d. variables, which does not require distribution specification. We introduce randomized ApEn, which derives an empirical significance probability that two processes differ, based on one data set from each process.     

Random Coefficients Estimation of Average Total Product Costs for Multiproduct Firms

The problem of estimating the mean average total cost of each output for multiproduct firms in an industry is addressed. The identity that defines total cost for each firm as the product of output levels multiplied by their respective average total costs is viewed as a random-coefficients model. A random coefficients regression estimator is used to estimate mean average total output costs. Solutions to problems arising with this method in empirical studies are discussed. An application of the approach to data from cash grain farms in Illinois shows that the method gives reliable estimates for per-unit output production costs with considerably fewer data requirements than current methods of cost estimation.     

Requisite Variety of Strategic Management Modes: A Cultural Study of Strategic Actions in a Deterministic Environment

This article presents the results of a qualitative study that examines the modes by which strategy emanates in a nonprofit human services organization, externally controlled by its funding sources. The strategy-making process is broached by proposing a taxonomy of strategic modes arranged into the Hrebiniak and Joyce (1985) framework. In light of Ashby's law of requisite variety (1968), this study contends that the subject organization's context of environmental determinism should lead to a culturally based configuration of traditional, spontaneous, and dialectical modes. The results support the proposition for requisite variety. This research presents valuable implications for the study and practice of strategic management-especially regarding strategic learning and change within externally controlled nonprofit organizations.     

Discernment Counseling for “Mixed‐Agenda” Couples

This article describes discernment counseling, an approach to working with couples where one partner is leaning toward divorce and the other wants to preserve the relationship and work on it in couples therapy. These “mixed‐agenda” couples are common in clinical practice but have been neglected in the literature. The goal of discernment counseling is clarity and confidence regarding the next steps for the relationship, based on a deeper understanding of each partner's contributions. Sessions emphasize individual conversations with each partner. An analysis of 100 consecutive cases found that about half of the couples chose to start couples therapy in order to reconcile, with most of the rest choosing the divorce path. Longer term follow‐up information is also presented.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Boyd-Frankolin, N., & Bry, B. (2000). Reaching out in family therapy: Home-based, school, and community interventions .
Boyd-Franklin, N., Franklin, A. J., & Toussaint, P. (2000). Boys into men: Raising our African American teenage sons .
Reiss, D., Neiderhiser, J. M., Hetherington, E. M., & Plomin, R. (2000). The relationship code: Deciphering genetic and social influences on adolescent development .
Herdt, G. & Koff, B. (2000). Something to tell you .
Nichols, M. P. (1999). Inside family therapy: A case study in family healing .     

A nail-biting election

In the first competitive election for President of the Social Choice and Welfare Society, the (official) approval-voting winner differed from the (hypothetical) Borda count winner, who was also the Condorcet winner. But because the election was essentially a toss-up, it is impossible to say who should have won. The election for Council was more true to form of other professional-society elections, with the winners identical, and even their rankings almost duplicative, under both voting systems. Received: 11 April 2000/Accepted: 26 March 2001     

At the Eve of Convergence? Transformations of Social Service Provision in Denmark, Germany, and the United States

Increasing societal heterogeneity, changing demographics, and increasing public debt and fiscal constraints have recently challenged traditional “regime” approaches to welfare state development. Some scholars argue, against this background, that welfare states might plausibly move out of their “regime container” by opting in favor of similar solutions and responses. This potential trend toward “convergence” might, furthermore, be facilitated by the widespread use of new public management ideas and techniques for “reinventing government” by adopting market solutions to public problems. This article investigates whether such trends of convergence can be identified by comparing three different countries each traditionally looked upon as belonging to different welfare state regimes: Denmark, Germany, and the United States. More specifically the article looks at one important segment of welfare state activity, namely social services and related health care. To further focus the analysis, special attention is devoted to the changing role played by the third sector in delivering services. The research design, thus, differs from most comparative welfare state research. Instead of analyzing a broad set of quantitative indicators in a large number of countries, it is scrutinized how some of the same problem pressures and policy ideas are being interpreted and implemented in a small number of countries within one policy area. The analysis reveals that trends of convergence—conceptualized along four dimensions: ideas, regulation, mix of providers, and revenue mix—can be identified across the three cases, though this does not mean that the market share of nonprofit providers becomes the same. The study also reveals that fundamental aspects of state–nonprofit relations persist despite trends of convergence.