The reasons for and against composite indicators are briefly reviewed, as well as the available theories for their construction. After noting the strong normative dimension of these measures—which ultimately aim to ‘tell a story’, e.g. to promote the social discovery of a particular phenomenon, we inquire whether a less partisan use of a composite indicator can be proposed by allowing more latitude in the framing of its construction. We thus explore whether a composite indicator can be built to tell ‘more than one story’ and test this in practical contexts. These include measures used in convergence analysis in the field of cohesion policies and a recent case involving the World Bank’s Doing Business Index. Our experiments are built to imagine different constituencies and stakeholders who agree on the use of evidence and of statistical information while differing on the interpretation of what is relevant and vital.
This study examines different work–related foci of commitment, such as the work group and the employing organization as well as the current occupation. It assesses how these foci of commitment are influenced by, and influence, attitudes and emotions at work. Data from employees and managers in the British health–service sector shed light on the associations. Regression analysis reveals a strong association between positive work–related emotions and commitment levels, leading to a higher intention to stay with the organization. Implications for management and how the study fits into the existing body of commitment literature are discussed 相似文献
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin in southeast Louisiana is an estuarine watershed encompassing New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and wetlands that are an integral part of Louisiana's unique culture. In recent decades rapid growth and poorly planned development have resulted in a decrease in water quality and habitat loss, especially in St. Tammany Parish on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. In 1989, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF), an environmental, non-profit organization, was formed to address and rectify environmental issues in the Basin. LPBF accomplishes its mission through programs addressing water quality, habitat protection, geographic information science, public access, and education.LPBF used the recent, rapid development occurring in St. Tammany Parish as a case study to examine the relationship between land use, water quality, and development in the Basin by investigating habitat change/urbanization, development in flood plains, and water quality. Through the integration of LPBF programs, it was found that urbanization is having a devastating impact on the parish's natural habitats and severely degrading water quality. Using these results, LPBF is educating Basin citizens on the protection of their habitats and water quality to insure that these resources may be available for future generations. 相似文献
This article analyzes the evolution of a significant undercurrent within American culture challenging the dominance of the cult of youth and masculinity, through the interpretation of selected American popular films of the 1930s and 1970s/80s featuring heroines over 60 years of age. These two eras, which witnessed the impact of elder advocacy on national legislation and social policy, generated films such asIf I Had A Million (1932),Make Way for Tomorrow (1937),Harold and Maude (1971) andThe Trip to Bountiful (1985). Through analyzing these films as well as related media trends, psychoanalytic approaches to the study of female representation in cinema are critiqued. While psychoanalytic approaches often stress the cultural dominance of an ahistorical patriarchy, a sociological model conceptualizes culture as a process constituted by communication and negotiation, resistance and rebellion as well as oppression and domination.This study was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Clark University Faculty Development Fund and the Bunting Institute, Radcliffe College. I wish to thank the staff members of the Theatre Arts Library, University of California at Los Angeles and the Division of Film, Television and Recorded Sound, Library of Congress for their help in locating films and materials. Thanks also to Lois Banner, Ruth Jacobs, Elizabeth Markson, Carmen Sirianni, the members of my Aging and Society course (Clark University, Fall, 1987) and two anonymous reviewers who offered helpful suggestions on earlier drafts of this paper. 相似文献
The paper moves a step forward in the direction of establishing a connection between the structure and evolution of knowledge
bases and the structure and evolution of organizational forms in innovative activities in a science-intensive industry. The
paper has an explicit focus on the dynamics of the network of collaborative agreements in R&D in the pharma/biotech industry
after the “molecular biology revolution”. Using a comprehensive dataset, built by the authors integrating several sources
in the industry, the dynamics of the network over time is extensively analyzed. With regards to network structure, it is found
that, while the size of the network increases over time due to net flows of entry, its topological properties remain relatively
unchanged. The evolution of the network has occurred without relevant deformations in the core-periphery profile. With regards
to age-dependent propensity to collaborate, the paper finds that the extent of inter-generational collaboration is much more
significant than intra-generational collaboration. In addition, the propensity of firms of a given generation to enter into
collaboration with firms of a different generation increases with the distance between the two, while the total number of
intra-generational collaborations decreases over time and, moreover, tends to decrease for most recent generations. In the
paper a unitary and coherent explanation of the evidence is developed, coming to reveal the existence of a striking isomorphism
between structural properties of the dynamics of knowledge and of the evolution of network structure.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. 相似文献
People with learning difficulties are considerably more likely to experience sexual and other forms of violence than non-disabled people. Nevertheless, several respondents in this study have demonstrated some self-protective competencies. Most knew of their right not to be violated and a number of participants described situations when they had attempted to initiate their own safeguarding. Some had asked others for help with this. However, appropriate assistance was not always provided. This indicates that risk may be aggravated by social barriers. This paper focuses on highlighting the resistance skills that are prevalent amongst some people with learning difficulties. It concludes with suggestions on ways in which individuals may be further supported to realise their potential to play a more active role in directing and regaining their own protection. 相似文献