The Historical Context of the Evolution of National Research Systems and International RTD Collaboration

A historical overview of European science and technology suggests the existence of two parallel trends: those of nationalization and de-nationalization. Since the Enlightenment, besides the modernist universalist perspective on science we find nationalist pressures pushing the idea of socially constructed technology, thus generating scientific results determined by national (cultural) factors. Nationalization and de-nationalization thrive together in certain circumstances--for instance, in disciplines such as geology, meteorology, botany or even physics and chemistry. The entry into the scene of commercial interests gives rise to national interests, in turn hampering efficiency and progress from the scientific perspective. Through national research policies these differential development patterns have tended to create an often unnecessary conflict between basic and applied research. The EU RTD framework has still to resolve these contradictions.     

Meeting Family Housing Needs: Experiences of Rural Women in the Midst of Welfare Reform

Though sometimes overlooked, the availability, affordability, and quality of housing in rural communities are a potential barrier to transitioning from welfare to work. In this investigation we examine housing issues confronting 17 rural women and their families who were recipients of welfare benefits in 1997. Respondents' housing accounts illustrate the significance of reliance on both government housing subsidies and informal subsidies supplied by friends, family, and more distant relatives. The study focuses on concerns women have in meeting their families shelter needs and the complexities involved in doing so. The findings of the research suggest that additional housing policy initiatives, as well as a targeted research agenda are needed, especially for families whose welfare benefits are nearing termination.     

On the memory of a chronic illness

The elderly are particularly susceptible to disease, yet the biological mechanisms that bring about this susceptibility remain unclear. Using atherosclerosis as a model chronic illness, we review how recent studies of bone marrow-derived vascular repair systems in mice and humans provide new insights into the causes and potential cures for age-related illness. Organisms are born with a finite capacity for stem cell-mediated repair after chronic exposure to tissue injury. Once that capacity is exhausted, a cycle of pathological inflammation ensues and leads to overt disease manifestations. Augmentation of stem cell-mediated repair systems may provide a novel means of treating or preventing many age-related illnesses.     

CEO grandiose narcissism and firm performance: The role of organizational identification

This study reconciles the positive and negative sides of CEO grandiose narcissism by examining the role that CEO organizational identification plays in moderating the effect of CEO grandiose narcissism on top management team (TMT) behavioral integration. We first distinguish between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and we then draw on upper echelons theory and executive personality research to hypothesize and test a model in which CEO grandiose narcissism is positively related to TMT behavioral integration when CEOs are high in organizational identification. The relationship is expected to be negative when CEOs do not identify strongly with their organizations. TMT behavioral integration, in turn, predicts subsequent firm performance. Findings based on multi-source data from a sample of 97 CEOs and their firms supported the hypotheses. These results highlight the complex nature of CEO grandiose narcissism – namely, that the construct has both positive and negative aspects as it relates to top management team dynamics and firm performance and that the relationship is affected by CEOs' identification with their organizations.     

Purchase deadline as a moderator of the effects of price uncertainty on search duration

A longstanding theoretical tenet in the economic psychology literature is that consumers respond to greater price uncertainty by increasing search. The generality of this tenet was investigated in the context of a moderating variable, purchase deadline. It was hypothesized that the effect of increased price uncertainty, as reflected by both cross-sectional price variability and longitudinal price variability, was moderated by temporal proximity to a purchase deadline. The hypothesis was tested by analyzing purchase data from a sample of consumers with known purchase deadlines searching for rental trucks. The results indicated that search increased in response to greater price uncertainty for distant deadlines but decreased in response to greater price uncertainty for proximal deadlines.     

Social Work Student Learning Experiences of Family Therapy: Improving Competency in Pedagogy Through Qualitative Research

The purpose of this qualitative study is to evaluate graduate social work student experiences of pedagogy intended to improve competency in family therapy practice. Students from two classes (N = 37) completed open‐ended surveys assessing: perceptions of most helpful pedagogical practices; understanding of needed competencies; and perceived opportunities offered to them during their graduate training for learning about work with couples and families. Results, analysed using grounded theory methodology, revealed that students: (1) believed that experiential activities were especially critical for learning how to do clinical practice with couples and families; (2) understood important competencies related to professional development, therapeutic engagement with the family, and how to approach family practice; and (3) believed they were ‘somewhat prepared’ for practice. Implications include improving understanding of abstract skills in practice with couples and families, and emphasising relationship dynamics more in graduate social work education and training.     

Homeless youths' perceptions of services and transitions to stable housing

Use of available services is low among homeless youths, and how youth make decisions to access services or seek housing is unclear. This study explored perspectives of current and former street youth about these processes. Recruited from the streets and a drop-in center, 27 youth ages 16–24, participated in individual qualitative interviews. Findings from consensual qualitative analyses indicated choices to use services were embedded within developing autonomy and identification with street lifestyles. Themes of self-reliance, substance use, and relationships with street and housed persons were expressed as critical for both using services and transitioning to stable housing. Agency-related factors such as caring staff, a nonjudgmental atmosphere, and flexible policies were perceived as important for service use while youth-related factors such as experiencing major events, being internally motivated, and embracing mainstream values were seen as conducive to transitioning off the streets. Implications for service providers and future research are discussed.     

Social Support: A Mixed Blessing for Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Using a personal social network framework, this qualitative study sought to understand how women in substance abuse treatment describe their network members' supportive and unsupportive behaviors related to recovery. Eighty-six women were interviewed from residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. Positive and negative aspects of women's social networks were assessed via open-ended questions. Analysis was guided by grounded theory techniques using three coders. The findings extend classic social support concepts such as emotional, tangible, and informational support. Practice implications are presented in light of the potential roles network members may play in substance use and recovery.