Methodological Approaches to Assessing Risk Perceptions Associated with Food-Related Hazards

The psychometric approach developed by Slovic and his co-workers has been effectively used to assess risk perceptions associated with different food-related hazards. However, further examination (using questionnaire data and partial correlation techniques) has indicated that technological hazards are highly differentiated from lifestyle hazards, in terms of both hazard control and knowledge about the hazard. Optimistic bias was also seen to vary between hazards. Further research has focused on a particular hazard, genetic engineering. Risk perceptions associated with genetic engineering are underpinned by ethical concern and questions relating to perceived need for the technology, as well as perceptions of risk or harm. However, increasing the specificity of hazard stimuli was found to alter the factor structure of underlying risk perceptions. The utility of preference mapping procedures in determining individual differences in trust in risk regulators is also discussed.     

Quantifying the Distribution of Inhalation Exposure in Human Populations: 2. Distributions of Time Spent by Adults, Adolescents, and Children at Home, at Work, and at School

Using distributions of time spent at various ventilation levels, ranges of inhalation exposure in the population can be established. Distributions of exposure time were determined using results of a study by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which focused on time spent by humans participating in various activities and the locations where the activities occurred. The daily at-home activities from the CARB study were assigned to one of three ventilation levels, generating aggregate time periods. Distinct age and gender populations were identified, and distributions for aggregate time were established for these populations at each of the ventilation levels. In addition to aggregate time spent at home, distributions for various ages and genders were established for aggregate time spent at school and work. By combining distributions of aggregate time with corresponding ventilation rates, the distribution of inhalation rates can be established for at home, at work, and at school exposures.     

供应链风险识别与防范策略研究

随着供应链中断事件的频繁发生及其严重后果,供应链风险管理目前成为供应链研究的一个重要方向。本文总结分析了供应链风险来源及类别,提出了供应链风险防范及其对策。     

递阶双因素模型估计信用组合一致性风险

当信用组合内资产个数较少时，基于Gordy提出的粒度调节方法计算的组合风险量度VaR将严重被低估，从而高估一致性风险量度预期短缺ES。本文利用Taylor展开式改进粒度调节方法，提高估计ES的准确性；并且假设行业因素是宏观经济因素的线性函数，由此保证了组合不变性的条件，从而扩展单因素模型为递阶双因素模型，提高相关性估计准确性，解决了单因素模型高估经济资本的问题。模拟结果显示递阶双因素模型的优越性，特别是组合内资产规模较小时，改进的效果更明显。     

应对企业人力资本投资风险的对策探析

改革开放以后,随着我国社会主义市场经济的深入发展,越来越多的企业把人才储备看作企业竞争力的核心所在。但同物资资本投资一样,人力资本投资也存在着风险,而且由于人力资本本身的特殊性,人力资本投资还具有许多特有的风险。本文先是简要地介绍了人力资本的内涵及起源,然后从企业的角度分析人力资本投资存在的各类风险,并以此为基础,提出应对这些企业人力资本投资风险的相应措施。     

Cognitive Risk Factors to the Development of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Adolescents

This exploratory study examines cognitive risk factors, anxiety sensitivity, and positive and negative affect, as related to the development of anxiety and depression. In a mailed survey, adolescents completed the Child Anxiety Sensitivity Index and the Positive and Negative Affectivity Scale. Previous research utilized the broad and unified variable of anxiety sensitivity as a predictor of anxiety. In this study, we separate and examine the four specific factors of anxiety sensitivity: mental incapacitation concerns, social concerns, disease concerns, and unsteady concerns, and relate it to specific anxiety disorders and depression. Results indicate good convergent validity and improved divergent validity when utilizing the four factors of anxiety sensitivity as compared to using it as one construct. Results also suggest: (1) OCD and GAD share numerous similarities and (2) the importance of the role of negative affectivity in anxiety and depression. Being aware of the components of anxiety sensitivity and how they relate to specific anxiety disorders can help a social worker when rendering a diagnosis. Part of the data presented in this article was from David A. Dia’s doctoral dissertation.     

从投资风险角度分析我国高等教育投资问题及对策

我国高等教育正处于全面改革和发展阶段,在此过程中出现了需求的扩大与资金短缺的矛盾,这成为高等教育进一步发展的制约因素。文章对这一矛盾进行了分析,并从教育投资风险的角度探讨了原因,最后提出一些针对性的措施。     

Civic responsibility in a risk democracy

The National Research Council advocates for what they term a risk democracy, in which risk issues require community decision-making based on dialogue. This essay focuses on the promotion of civic responsibility in a risk democracy. Award-winning public awareness campaigns are analyzed to demonstrate how community partnerships and civic responsibility can improve community resilience. First, the role of a community in an emergency is discussed; second, the current focus of the Department of Homeland Security on prevention rather than preparation as illuminated by interviews with emergency managers is critically examined; and finally, public awareness campaigns are presented to show how personal and civic responsibility can assist in emergency planning and response.     

The role of beliefs,trust, and risk in contributions to a public good

This paper experimentally investigates if and how beliefs, trust, and risk attitudes are associated with cooperative behavior. By applying incentivized elicitation methods to measure these concepts, we find that beliefs about others’ cooperation and trust are positively correlated with cooperation in a public goods game. However, even though contributing to a public good resembles a situation of making decisions under strategic uncertainty, elicited risk preferences do not seem to explain cooperation in a systematic way.     

Can a Munro-Inspired Approach Transform the Lives of Looked after Children in England?

This discussion paper will examine the lessons from the Munro Review relevant for looked after children. Although the Munro Review focuses on child protection, we will argue that some of its key principles have relevance for understanding looked after childhoods. The Munro Review provides an analysis of the current state of the child protection system, challenging bureaucratised practice and arguing for a reclaiming of professional social work identity, knowledge and understanding. There are three key principles of the Munro Review that this paper will focus upon. The first two are the recognition that risk cannot be eradicated and the bureaucratisation of practice is an inadequate response to the demand for public accountability. The third principle is that ethical integrity lies at the heart of services for children in public care. The key message of this paper is that a Munro approach can transform looked after childhoods. However, the current ‘child protection’ model of social work in England may prevent this shift in social work practice.