Why Creators Are Dogmatic People, “Nice” People Are Not Creative, and Creative People Are Not “Nice”

This article presents a provocative perspective on creativity with two controversial assertions. First, it challenges the conventional view of the creator as an innovative person, by promoting the notion of the dogmatic creator. Second, it argues that 01612787283343v/xxlarge8220.gif" alt="ldquo" align="MIDDLE" BORDER="0">nice01612787283343v/xxlarge8221.gif" alt="rdquo" align="MIDDLE" BORDER="0"> people are not creative, and creative people are not 01612787283343v/xxlarge8220.gif" alt="ldquo" align="MIDDLE" BORDER="0">nice.01612787283343v/xxlarge8221.gif" alt="rdquo" align="MIDDLE" BORDER="0"> An integrative review of the empirical literature on culture, creativity, and conflict ensues. In the process, four sets of hypotheses are developed which are embedded in two theoretical models of behavior. In Theoretical Model A, it is postulated that cultural individualism-collectivism has a positive causal impact on independent self-construal (Hypothesis 1A). In turn, independent self-construal is posited to have a positive causal impact on positive perception of conflict (Hypothesis 2A), confrontational conflict style (Hypothesis 3A), and creative behavior (Hypothesis 4A). In Theoretical Model B, it is postulated that cultural individualism-collectivism has a negative causal impact on interdependent self-construal (Hypothesis 1B). In turn, interdependent self-construal was postulated to have a positive causal impact on negative perception of conflict (Hypothesis 2B), non-confrontational conflict style (Hypothesis 3B), and conforming behavior (Hypothesis 4B). One-hundred-eighty-six university students in Singapore and 158 students in Australia responded to a survey, which consisted of various scales tapping the constructs in these two theoretical models of behavior. SEM analyses using LISREL 8.0 provided empirical support for both models of behavior. Based on these findings, several points are raised. First, creativity should not be perceived in a naïve manner. Second, there is an urgent need to assist parents, teachers, and employers to deal with creative individuals. Finally, since creativity is a cultural phenomenon, the cultural context must be made amenable for this type of behavior.     

Challenges of Hong Kong toy manufacturers operating plants in the Pearl River Delta

For years, Hong Kong has been the world0j6awnh3u4l34/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">s largest toy exporter. However, as the costs of rent and labor have increased drastically over the past years, Hong Kong toy manufacturers have moved their labor-intensive operations to other lower-wage areas. The Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of the People0j6awnh3u4l34/xxlarge8217.gif" alt="rsquo" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">s Republic of China (PRC) has been one of their favorite choices for outsourcing because of cheap and available labor. This paper explores, using data culled from interviews with the senior management of five leading Hong Kong toy companies, how some Hong Kong toy manufacturers overcame various strategic management issues after having made the move to the PRD. The results are presented within five major areas of concern: rules and regulations, the less-developed infrastructure, R&D, relationship with suppliers, and new technology, and they are used to show how the manufacturers were able to overcome various strategic constraints in order to accomplish outstanding performance. Supporting data were gathered through factory visits in order to better understand the actual operations within the PRD. This collected experience should be beneficial to other manufacturers interested in operating plants within the PRD.     

Winding Stairs: A sampling tool to compute sensitivity indices

Sensitivity analysis aims to ascertain how each model input factor influences the variation in the model output. In performing global sensitivity analysis, we often encounter the problem of selecting the required number of runs in order to estimate the first order and/or the total indices accurately at a reasonable computational cost. The Winding Stairs sampling scheme (Jansen M.J.W., Rossing W.A.H., and Daamen R.A. 1994. In: Gasman J. and van Straten G. (Eds.), Predictability and Nonlinear Modelling in Natural Sciences and Economics. pp. 334013;343.) is designed to provide an economic way to compute these indices. The main advantage of it is the multiple use of model evaluations, hence reducing the total number of model evaluations by more than half. The scheme is used in three simulation studies to compare its performance with the classic Sobol' LP_{0xh835567582/xxlarge964.gif" alt="tau" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">}. Results suggest that the Jansen Winding Stairs method provides better estimates of the Total Sensitivity Indices at small sample sizes.     

The two-sample -test with a known ratio of variances

We consider the two-sample t-test where error variances are unknown but with known relationships between them. This situation arises, for example, when two measuring instruments average different number of replicates to report the response. In particular we compare our procedure with the usual Satterthwaite approximation in the two sample t-test with variances unequal. Our procedure uses the knowledge of a known ratio of variances while the Satterthwaite approximation assumes only that the two variances are unequal. Simulations show that our procedure has both better size and better power than the Satterthwaite approximation. Finally, we consider an extension of our results to the General Linear Model.     

Estimating the Lyapunov exponent from chaotic time series with dynamic noise

In this paper, we propose an estimator of the Lyapunov exponent of the skeleton for chaotic time series with dynamic noise and prove the consistency of the estimator under some assumptions.     

Power comparison of data depth-based nonparametric tests for testing equality of locations

In the recent years, the notion of data depth has been used in nonparametric multivariate data analysis since it gives natural ‘centre-outward’ ordering of multivariate data points with respect to the given data cloud. In the literature, various nonparametric tests are developed for testing equality of location of two multivariate distributions based on data depth. Here, we define two nonparametric tests based on two different test statistic for testing equality of locations of two multivariate distributions. In the present work, we compare the performance of these tests with the tests developed by Li and Liu [New nonparametric tests of multivariate locations and scales using data depth. Statist Sci. 2004;(1):686–696] for testing equality of locations of two multivariate distributions. Comparison in terms of power is done for multivariate symmetric and skewed distributions using simulation for three popular depth functions. Application of tests to real life data is provided. Conclusion and recommendations are also provided.     

Lower bounds of the wrap-around -discrepancy and relationships between MLHD and uniform design with a large size

The wrap-around (WD) L₂-discrepancy has been commonly used in experimental designs. In this paper, some lower bounds of the WD L₂-discrepancy for asymmetrical U-type designs are given and the expectation and variance of midpoint Latin hypercube designs (LHD) are also obtained. Relationships between midpoint LHD and uniform designs for symmetrical and asymmetrical cases are discussed in the sense of comparing the lower bound and the expectation of squared wrap-around L₂-discrepancy of U-type designs. Some comparisons between simple random sampling and the lower bounds of U-type designs are given.     

经济社会学:理论、方法与研究

一(一)对“经济社会学”内涵的重新认识任何学科的发展都需经历一定的历史过程。熊彼特是“经济社会学”的最早倡导者之一,他在《经济分析史》中提出“经济社会学”概念,并将其定义为研究“经济制度”的科学。但熊彼特的“经济社会学”更多地强调经济,而与现代意义上的经济社会学并不一致。即使就经济学而言,“经济”制度最初指罗马社会的家庭管理(“Ｏｉｋｏｓ”);而熊彼特的纯粹经济学概念则过于狭隘。主流经济学的发展从来就不是线性的,而是经历了无数曲折和往复,并在此过程中形成各个时代的基本假设和定义。对于“经济社会学”自身含义…