Rebates, inventories, and intertemporal price discrimination

We demonstrate that universally redeemed rebates can increase manufacturer profits by reducing the incentives of downstream retailers to hoard inventories when optimal wholesale prices vary predictably over time. By bypassing retailers and making direct contracts with buyers, the manufacturer can increase the variations in effective prices paid by consumers without concomitantly creating larger incentives for retailers to hold inventories. During profitable, high-demand periods, manufacturer revenues are ordinarily constrained by'competition'from retailer inventories, thus limiting profits. However, by selectively offering rebates to consumers while maintaining high wholesale prices, low-demand periods can be accommodated without inducing retailer hoarding.     

Finance and innovation in British small independent firms

This paper is concerned with the effects of internal and external capital investment funding patterns on the innovativeness of British small independent firms. By using a combined sample of firms from the relatively prosperous South East and the more problematic Scottish development region, an additional diverse regional economic perspective is given to data initially presented in a national context. Beyond a presentation of the extent of external borrowing, the paper seeks to establish the characteristics of firms obtaining external funds and to assess whether this external capital borrowing sub-sample is mainly comprised of low technology firms in decline, or of high technology firms fueling innovation-led expansion. Data is included on the role of both public and private loan agencies in the external funding process. Conclusions are based on the pattern of results and focus on ways in which the delivery of financial aid might be improved to assist expansion, particularly in fast growing high technology small firms.     

Multilevel Factors Related to Psychosocial Care Outcomes in Washington State Skilled Nursing Facilities

As the primary providers of psychosocial services in skilled nursing facilities, social services professionals report barriers interfering with their ability to meet residents' needs. This study utilizes a 3-category quality assessment framework and a cross-sectional survey design to assess factors impacting the provision of effective psychosocial services in Washington State facilities. Hierarchical linear regression results indicate that the 3-factor model explains 26.4% of the variance in psychosocial outcomes; 4 variables exert the most influence: ownership turnover, practitioner experience, practitioner role identity, and the importance of individualizing care. Findings have implications for developing necessary supports for quality psychosocial care delivery.     

Gerontological Social Workers' Perceived Efficacy for Influencing Client Outcomes

Using a sample of practitioners (n = 269) from the 2004 National Study of Licensed Social Workers, this article employs a quality assurance structure–process–outcome model to examine factors at the practitioner, workplace, and service delivery levels that influence the perceived efficacy of licensed gerontological social workers to affect client outcomes in the context of a highly challenging health care environment. A regression model accounted for 33.9% of the variance (adjusted R ² = .291) in perceived efficacy with 3 aspects of service delivery satisfaction having significant effects: ability to address complex/chronic care, to influence the design of services, and to help clients navigate the system.     

Pretrial negotiation, litigation, and procedural rules

We model the civil dispute resolution process as a two-stage game with the parties bargaining to reach a settlement in the first stage and then playing a litigation expenditure game at trial in the second stage. We find that the English rule shifts the settlement away from the interim fair and unbiased settlement in most circumstances. Overall welfare changes are in favor of the party who makes the offer in the pretrial negotiation stage. Lawyers however, always benefit from the English rule, because fee shifting increases the stake of the trial and thus intensifies the use of the legal service.     

Multilevel factors related to psychosocial care outcomes in Washington State skilled nursing facilities

As the primary providers of psychosocial services in skilled nursing facilities, social services professionals report barriers interfering with their ability to meet residents' needs. This study utilizes a 3-category quality assessment framework and a cross-sectional survey design to assess factors impacting the provision of effective psychosocial services in Washington State facilities. Hierarchical linear regression results indicate that the 3-factor model explains 26.4% of the variance in psychosocial outcomes; 4 variables exert the most influence: ownership turnover, practitioner experience, practitioner role identity, and the importance of individualizing care. Findings have implications for developing necessary supports for quality psychosocial care delivery.     

Evidence of Empowerment in Resident Council Groups: An Examination of Two Leadership Models in Assisted Living

Individuals living in long-term care facilities and the professionals working with them are seeking methods to enhance resident choice and self-direction in personal care and internal community planning. This article presents findings from a study examining the incidence of empowerment opportunities in two resident council groups in assisted living facilities; one group used a resident leadership model and the other used an administrative leadership model by residents' choice. Results indicate that even with health and mental health challenges, residents were able to exercise choice in complicated situations under both leadership models, suggesting that resident council groups are a beneficial empowerment strategy.     

Mindfully Increasing Quality of Life: A Promising Curriculum for MSW Students

MSW students may experience considerable stress during graduate school due to multiple life demands and the challenges of social work curricula, which often involves exposure to distressing client situations. Students' quality of life may be negatively impacted without sufficient tools to manage these stressful experiences. This paper presents evaluative findings of a course/module designed to enable MSW students in a university in the Southwestern United States to increase their quality of life and build stress coping abilities by incorporating mindfulness into their daily self care routines. Findings reveal that after completing the course/module, students reported increased quality of life even though perceived stress levels did not improve. Accordingly, mindfulness holds significant promise for bolstering students' ability to cope with the challenges of graduate school and preparing for professional practice.     

Social Work Student Interest in Nursing Home Employment: A North American Study

Nursing homes (NHs) are a primary setting for gerontological social work; yet, little is known about social workers' career interest relative to this setting. This article reports the findings of an online survey of social work students (177 US and 91 Canadian) that sought to identify personal characteristics and beliefs that influence NH employment intentions. Students who were enrolled in bachelors programs, lacked previous practice experience, and had already had a NH field placement or wanted this experience were more likely to express employment intent. The implications of these findings for social work education and research are discussed.     

Gerontological social workers' perceived efficacy for influencing client outcomes

Using a sample of practitioners (n = 269) from the 2004 National Study of Licensed Social Workers, this article employs a quality assurance structure-process-outcome model to examine factors at the practitioner, workplace, and service delivery levels that influence the perceived efficacy of licensed gerontological social workers to affect client outcomes in the context of a highly challenging health care environment. A regression model accounted for 33.9% of the variance (adjusted R (2) = .291) in perceived efficacy with 3 aspects of service delivery satisfaction having significant effects: ability to address complex/chronic care, to influence the design of services, and to help clients navigate the system.