Effects of Remanufacturable Product Design on Market Segmentation and the Environment

Despite documented benefits of remanufacturing, many manufacturers have yet to embrace the idea of tapping into remanufactured‐goods markets. In this article, we explore this dichotomy and analyze the effect of remanufacturable product design on market segmentation and product and trade‐in prices by studying a two‐stage profit‐maximization problem in which a price‐setting manufacturer can choose whether or not to open a remanufactured‐goods market for its product. Our results suggest that it is optimal for a manufacturer to design a remanufacturable product when the value‐added from remanufacturing is relatively high but product durability is relatively low and innovation is nominal. In addition, we find that entering a remanufactured‐goods market in and of itself does not necessarily translate into environmental friendliness. On the one hand, the optimal trade‐in program could result in low return and/or remanufacturing rates. On the other hand, a low price for remanufactured products could attract higher demand and thereby potentially result in more damage to the environment. Meanwhile, external restrictions imposed on total greenhouse gas emissions draw criticism in their own right because they risk stifling growth or reducing overall consumer welfare. Given these trade‐offs, we therefore develop and compare several measures of environmental efficiency and conclude that emissions per revenue can serve as the best proxy for emissions as a metric for measuring overall environmental stewardship.     

A Faith‐Based Advantage?

This study explored whether religiously affiliated nonprofit schools participating in Milwaukee's long‐standing school voucher program engage in more fundraising and perform better on academic indicators than nonsectarian nonprofit schools. The analysis of three years of organizational‐level voucher school data reveals that a higher percentage of religious affiliated schools engage in fundraising, and that religious schools affiliated with umbrella organizations have higher test score indicators than nonsectarian schools. The author concludes that the religious advantage is likely in part a result of the broader access to networks and resources available to religious schools associated with umbrella organizations like a Catholic archdiocese or Lutheran synod. The results are relevant to policymakers who are considering implementing a reinvented government approach to the provision of public goods, as well as leaders of nonprofit corporations who seek to maximize performance.     

The Challenges in Developing an Online Applied Statistics Program: Lessons Learned at Penn State University

Numerous professional fields have an increasing need for individuals trained in statistics and other quantitative analysis techniques. Today there exists great potential to fulfill this need by providing opportunities through online learning. However, to provide a high-quality education for returning adult professionals seeking advanced degrees in applied statistics online, many challenges need to be overcome. Based on our experience developing Penn State University’s online program in applied statistics, we discuss the evolution of the program’s curriculum, recruitment and development of online faculty, and meeting the requirements of students as important areas that require consideration in the development of an online program. We also highlight program evaluation strategies employed to ensure innovation and improvement in online education as cornerstones to a program’s success.     

Bullying: Three Books Delve Behind the Statistics

SUMMARY

Seventy percent of students are bullied in school, many of them because they are, or are perceived to be, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Bullying and victimization are not just part of growing up. They have long-term negative consequences for bullies and victims alike. Three recent books shed light on the issues.     

Dimensions and design criteria for developing training reaction evaluations

Although there is research on training program evaluation, there is little systematic research on the design, development and use of training reaction evaluations. In order to obtain meaningful information from a program evaluation, evaluation professionals must be rigorous in the design and development of all aspects of an evaluation study, including instrumentation. The purposes of the study were to classify the dimensions of information sought using reaction evaluations and to establish design criteria for developing training reaction instruments. There were three major phases of the study: (1) classification of the dimensions and questionnaire design criteria used in reaction evaluations; (2) validation of the classified dimensions and the questionnaire design criteria by subject matter experts; and (3) assessment of a sample of training reaction instruments currently used in training programs in US corporations. The research findings were: eleven dimensions for reaction evaluation were identified and classified by purpose. Five overall design criteria, each consisting of several sub-criteria, were judged important in the design of reactionnaires. These include: introduction and directions; question format; question construction; questionnaire layout; and data analysis. It was concluded that a well-designed training reaction instrument integrates the proper application of design criteria with appropriate reaction dimensions. Most training reaction instruments used by US corporations consisted of questions representing only a few dimensions. The instruments varied in form and length. Few of them properly utilized the established questionnaire design criteria.     

A qualitative study investigating adolescents' understanding of aggression,bullying and violence

There is a general consistency across the research literature regarding the definition of bullying. This has filtered down into the construction of governmental and school anti-bullying policies around the world. However, research suggests that children and adolescents are failing to accurately identify cases of bullying. This in turn has implications upon the accuracy of our perception of the extent of the problem of bullying within schools. The current study aimed to investigate how 11–17 year olds understand and differentiate between terms relating to interpersonal peer aggression, violence and bullying. Fifty-seven (twenty male, thirty-seven female) participants were recruited via an opportunity sample. Participants took part in focus group interviews within which they were asked to provide a definition for a list of words relating to both traditional and cyber forms of aggression, bullying and violence. Thematic analysis revealed that the participants held a shared understanding of the terms relating to aggression, bullying and violence. Participants defined each term by describing the behaviors involved, their perception of the level of control the perpetrators of each type of negative peer interaction have and the perception of those involved. The implications of these findings for both policy and future research are discussed.     

以政府为主导，以市场为依托实现山民下山脱贫——来自武义县政府扶贫工作的启示

在社会主义市场经济体制下,贫困地区的政府如何把政府功能和市场功能有机地结合起来,为贫困农民探索出一条脱贫致富之路,是当前的一个重要课题。武义县政府下山脱贫工程给我们提供了一个有益的启示。     

论公民道德教育的层次性

当前 ,开展公民道德教育 ,推行《公民道德建设实施纲要》的关键是要落实与加强公民道德教育的层次性。我国现阶段出现道德失范现象的主要原因就是道德教育层次性的不力 ,甚至缺失。因此 ,应从道德教育目标层次、内容层次、方法层次等角度入手 ,以求道德教育取得显著效果 ,使《公民道德建设实施纲要》得到切实贯彻落实     

Relationships between bullying, psychosocial work environment and individual stress reactions

It is frequently assumed that a poor psychosocial working environment will create conditions that encourage bullying. However, few studies have examined this assumption while comparing work environment ratings of bullied and non-bullied employees who work in the same organization and/or department. The objectives of this study were therefore, first, to investigate relationships between bullying and other psychosocial work environment factors within a particular organizational setting and, second, to investigate if bullied employees reported higher levels of stress than non-bullied employees. A total of 186 blue-collar employees from a Danish manufacturing company participated in the study (response rate of 93%). Results showed significant differences in bullied and non-bullied employees' ratings of psychosocial factors such as job control, management style, role clarity, social climate, social contact and work centrality. In order to investigate assumptions that a poor psychosocial work environment creates conditions that encourage bullying, a number of analyses compared the company's manufacturing departments with either high, medium or low levels of bullying. Results showed significant departmental differences. Yet, when bullied employees were removed from the statistical analyses, with regard to the perceived psychosocial environment these same departments could be differentiated only on the basis of rated job demands and management style. The results therefore bring into question the assumption that a generally poor work environment contributes to bullying. None the less, they do suggest that management style may directly or indirectly have contributed to a higher level of bullying. Also, bullied employees reported significantly more symptoms of psychological stress and mental fatigue than non-bullied employees.     

试论党的"二大"纲领的提出对我们的历史启示

党的“二大”在中国革命史上第一次提出了民主革命的纲领 ,标志着中国共产党对中国国情认识的进一步深化。历史启示我们 :在中国革命与建设过程中 ,必须坚持马克思主义基本原理与中国实际相结合 ;必须正确处理党的最低纲领与最高纲领的辩证关系 ;必须脚踏实地地实践党在现阶段的基本纲领。