Do Foster Parents and Care Workers Recognize the Needs of Youth in Family Foster Care with a History of Sexual Abuse?

Children in family foster care have the right to participate in decisions regarding their life, however, adults often advocate on behalf of children. This Q methodological study explored whether shared perspectives among foster parents and care workers resemble shared perspectives of youth regarding the psychosocial needs experienced by youth with a history of sexual abuse. Participants sorted a set of statement cards according to what they thought was most important for youth. By-person factor analyses examined how the Q sorts of foster parents and care workers related to those of youth. The results showed that foster parents mostly recognized the group of youth who value an instrumental relationship with their carers, while care workers mostly recognized the group of youth who value support of both foster and birth parents with regard to their preparation for independent living. The two youth groups characterized by ambivalence and autonomy were barely recognized. Results are discussed in light of the expected roles of foster parents and care workers, and youth’s contact with birth parents. Lastly, this study highlights the importance of youth participation, because youth offer unique and varying perspectives about their needs.     

Modeling agricultural risk management policies – The implementation of the Income Stabilization Tool in Italy

This paper investigates the potential impact of the income stabilisation tool (IST), currently introduced in the European Common Agricultural Policy to reduce farmers’ income risks using Italian agriculture as case study. The paper extends the existing literature by investigating the effects of two implementation issues: level of aggregation of mutual funds (MF); definition of farmers’ contribution (i.e. premium) to MF. We use a simulation approach based on a FADN panel data set of 3421 farms over a period of 7 years to investigate effects on (i) farm-level income variability, (ii) the expected level and variability of indemnifications at the level of mutual funds and (iii) the distribution of net benefits from this policy instrument across the farm population. We find that the introduction of the IST would lead to a significant reduction of income variability in Italian agriculture. Our results support the establishment of a national mutual fund due to the high volatility of indemnification levels at more disaggregated (e.g. regional or sectoral) levels. In addition, our results propose that farmers’ contribution to mutual funds, i.e. premiums paid, should be modulated according to farm size as this reduces the inequality of the distribution of benefits of such tool within the farm population.     

投资者情绪与上市公司投资--行为金融角度的实证分析

金融市场与企业投资行为之间存在着正向关系 ,无论是Q理论还是融资约束理论都支持这一观点。行为金融学在该方面则莫衷一是。本文利用股票的流动性作为衡量市场投资者情绪高低的指标 ,通过对我国上市公司投资水平影响因素的实证研究 ,发现上市公司的投资水平与市场投资者情绪呈现明显的负相关 ,并利用行为金融学的研究成果尝试对此给出一定的解释     

阿Q与堂·吉诃德比较研究

阿Q和堂.吉诃德都是世界文学画廊中著名的艺术形象,阿Q产生以来,研究者们就注意到了他们的相似性,主要在于两者行为表现上极端相似的滑稽可笑的“精神胜利法”。近年来,人们对他们的研究主要有两类观点:一类认为两者精神内质相同,除了行为表现、意识结构和悲喜剧性格相似,这一切产生的主客观原因也相近;一类认为两者有本质差异,差异则有着深厚的人性欲望与传统文化的根源,也有着作者构思意图的原因。     

A multilevel analysis of the determinants of willingness to pay to prevent environmental pollution across countries

This paper discusses the extent to which individual and contextual level factors influence the likelihood of individuals’ willingness to pay (WTP) to prevent environmental pollution. A multilevel probit regression framework was set up to explain WTP to prevent environmental pollution. We use data from the World Values Survey (WVS), which contains socio-economic and socio-demographic information, and merged it with country level covariates. Compared to many previous studies, our dataset encompasses a more indepth set of individual level covariates. We find that rich people, individuals with higher education, as well as those who possess post-materialist values are more likely to be concerned about environmental pollution. This study reveals that in developed countries, 90% of country variation in WTP to prevent environmental pollution can be explained by individual characteristics. This portion reduces to 80% in the case of developing countries. An interesting feature in our study is the ability to investigate the effect of contextual factors on individuals’ willingness to contribute for the environment. We observe that both democracy and government stability reduce individuals’ intention to donate to prevent environmental damage mainly in developed countries.     

A Markov-chain method for computing the run-length distribution of the self-starting cumulative sum scheme

We propose an analytic method for computing the run-length distribution of the cumulative sum (CUSUM) of Q statistics. The method is based on a model in which the operation of this CUSUM is embedded in a nonstationary, discrete-time Markov chain. The calculations of the method agree closely with those of Monte Carlo simulation, supporting the method's accuracy. Our results facilitate understanding the effectiveness of the CUSUM of Q statistics in detecting process mean shifts.     

A generalized Q–Q plot for longitudinal data

Most biomedical research is carried out using longitudinal studies. The method of generalized estimating equations (GEEs) introduced by Liang and Zeger [Longitudinal data analysis using generalized linear models, Biometrika 73 (1986), pp. 13–22] and Zeger and Liang [Longitudinal data analysis for discrete and continuous outcomes, Biometrics 42 (1986), pp. 121–130] has become a standard method for analyzing non-normal longitudinal data. Since then, a large variety of GEEs have been proposed. However, the model diagnostic problem has not been explored intensively. Oh et al. [Modeldiagnostic plots for repeated measures data using the generalized estimating equations approach, Comput. Statist. Data Anal. 53 (2008), pp. 222–232] proposed residual plots based on the quantile–quantile (Q–Q) plots of the χ²-distribution for repeated-measures data using the GEE methodology. They considered the Pearson, Anscombe and deviance residuals. In this work, we propose to extend this graphical diagnostic using a generalized residual. A simulation study is presented as well as two examples illustrating the proposed generalized Q–Q plots.     

Green supply chain management innovation diffusion and its relationship to organizational improvement: An ecological modernization perspective

Drawing on diffusion of innovation and ecological modernization theories, we identify three types of industrial manufacturers, namely early adopters, followers, and laggards, based on the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices among Chinese manufacturers. Test results indicate that differences exist between the three types of GSCM adopters in terms of their environmental, operational, and economic performance. Understanding how Chinese manufacturers adopt GSCM practices and if this adoption affects their performance contributes theoretical advancement to the diffusion of innovation theory. Practically, the results provide managerial insights for manufacturers to benchmark for environmental management practices and performance improvement.     

Revisiting the residential electricity demand in the United States: A dynamic partial adjustment modelling approach

In recent years, price policies and price changes derived from environmental regulations have played a more important role to promote residential energy conservation. Using recent annual state-level panel data for 48 states, we estimate a dynamic partial adjustment model for electricity demand elasticities on price and income in the residential sector. Our analysis reveals that in the short run, one unit price increase will lead to 0.142 unit of reduction in electricity use after controlling for the endogeneity of electricity price. Thus, raising energy price in the short run will not give consumers much incentive to adjust their appliances to reduce electricity use. However, in the long run, one unit price increase will lead to almost one unit consumption reduction, ceteris paribus. In addition, we find new evidence that for states of higher per capita GDP, raising the electricity price may be more effective to ensure a cut in consumption.     

Are EU standards detrimental to Africa’s exports?

The high costs of complying with standards adversely affect export competitiveness. Existing evidence suggests that the harmonisation of standards to international benchmarks reduces compliance costs and is less trade-inhibiting, or may even be trade-promoting. This paper thus investigates how the regulatory margin in food standards affects Africa’s fish exports to the EU. We measure the regulatory margin in standards by comparing EU standards to the international scientifically-formulated benchmarks. Our results indicate that, relative to the international standards, EU fish standards are indeed non-inhibiting. Thus, the high number of fish exports from Africa rejected by the EU due to non-compliance with EU standards does not really suggest that the measures are overly restrictive but rather is an indication of the poor quality of Africa’s fish exports. This finding suggests a need for upgrades to Africa’s fish export quality, especially the fish supply chain infrastructure, through continuous improvements in fish export logistics facilitation and export promotion measures.