Risk Perception and Information Processing: The Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess Self‐Reported Information Processing

The role of information processing in understanding people's responses to risk information has recently received substantial attention. One limitation of this research concerns the unavailability of a validated questionnaire of information processing. This article presents two studies in which we describe the development and validation of the Information‐Processing Questionnaire to meet that need. Study 1 describes the development and initial validation of the questionnaire. Participants were randomized to either a systematic processing or a heuristic processing condition after which they completed a manipulation check and the initial 15‐item questionnaire and again two weeks later. The questionnaire was subjected to factor reliability and validity analyses on both measurement times for purposes of cross‐validation of the results. A two‐factor solution was observed representing a systematic processing and a heuristic processing subscale. The resulting scale showed good reliability and validity, with the systematic condition scoring significantly higher on the systematic subscale and the heuristic processing condition significantly higher on the heuristic subscale. Study 2 sought to further validate the questionnaire in a field study. Results of the second study corresponded with those of Study 1 and provided further evidence of the validity of the Information‐Processing Questionnaire. The availability of this information‐processing scale will be a valuable asset for future research and may provide researchers with new research opportunities.     

Large scale communication networks—Design and analysis

The paper discusses the problem of design and analysis of large scale communication systems. An iterative process, composed of a minimum cost network design algorithm and a network performance algorithm, is presented for the solution of these problems. Computational considerations, using these algorithms, are discussed.     

The doubly truncated function of indices on discrete distributions

We introduce the doubly truncated function of indices, for discrete variables, and we obtain the inversion formula for the distribution function. Also, we characterize the geometric distribution using the left truncated function of indices.     

Assessing the effectiveness of strategic planning

This paper describes a method for assessing the effectiveness of strategic planning systems in terms of the results actually observed subsequent to planning activity. The paper explains in particular how, in making the assessment, one might cope with the fact of environmental change subsequent to the setting of planned goals. This ends oriented approach to measuring effectiveness is shown to be complementary to process oriented approaches and is illustrated by an example from the coal industry.     

Improving homeless persons' utilisation of primary care: lessons to be learned from an outreach programme in The Netherlands

Elissen AMJ, Van Raak AJA, Derckx EWCC, Vrijhoef HJM. Improving homeless persons' utilisation of primary care: lessons to be learned from an outreach programme in The Netherlands Faced with rising homelessness, countries around the world are in need of innovative approaches to caring for those without shelter, who, more often than not, suffer from severe health problems. We conducted a case study of an innovative Dutch Primary Care for the Homeless (PCH) programme to gain insight into clients' demographic characteristics, health problems and service use, and to develop an explanation for its success in increasing the latter. Our analyses are based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. The results of the study suggest that the success of the PCH programme can be explained by the providers' pragmatism and will to adapt their mode of care provision to the behavioural patterns and needs of their homeless clients.     

Parallel, AA/BB, AB/BA and Balaam's design: efficient and maximin choices when testing the treatment effect in a mixed effects linear regression

When examining the effect of treatment A versus B, there may be a choice between a parallel group design, an AA/BB design, an AB/BA cross‐over and Balaam's design. In case of a linear mixed effects regression, it is examined, starting from a flexible function of the costs involved and allowing for subject dropout, which design is most efficient in estimating this effect. For no carry‐over, the AB/BA cross‐over design is most efficient as long as the dropout rate at the second measurement does not exceed 2ρ/(1 + ρ), ρ being the intraclass correlation. For steady‐state carry‐over, depending on the costs involved, the dropout rate and ρ, either a parallel design or an AA/BB design is most efficient. For types of carry‐over that allow for self carry‐over, interest is in the direct treatment effect plus the self carry‐over effect, with either an AA/BB or Balaam's design being most efficient. In case of insufficient knowledge on the dropout rate or ρ, a maximin strategy is devised: choose the design that minimizes the maximum variance of the treatment estimator. Such maximin designs are derived for each type of carry‐over. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holy Grail or inflated expectations? The success and failure of integrated policy strategies

Governments and international organizations increasingly pursue the development of integrated policy strategies to govern persistent societal problems that crosscut the boundaries of traditional jurisdictions. In spite of the rising popularity of such integrated strategies, little is known about their effects. Although it is generally assumed that integrated strategies result in better outcomes, the evidence base to support this claim is sparse. This is not to say that no attempts to study the relationship between integrated strategies and policy outcomes have been undertaken at all; this paper presents a research synthesis of the fragmented evidence base. Eligible studies are interpreted and discussed by using a heuristic that distinguishes between programmatic and political success and failure. Apart from synthesizing the impacts that integrated strategies have had, the paper reflects on associated explanatory conditions and methodological approaches that have been used. The review almost exclusively finds reports of failure and constraining conditions. At the same time, methodological approaches are found to be largely unconvincing and considerable research gaps remain. The paper, therefore, ends with a nuanced answer to the question of whether integrated strategies are worth pursuing and sets out various avenues for further research.     

The ageing curve and partial orderings of life distributions

In this paper we define a new measure to describe the process of ageing of lifetime distributions. In terms of this measure we will define three partial orderings of lifetime distributions. The relationships between these orderings and other classical orderings are studied.     

Optimality of Equal vs. Unequal Cluster Sizes in Multilevel Intervention Studies: A Monte Carlo Study for Small Sample Sizes

Optimality of equal versus unequal cluster sizes in the context of multilevel intervention studies is examined. A Monte Carlo study is done to examine to what degree asymptotic results on the optimality hold for realistic sample sizes and for different estimation methods. The relative D-criterion, comparing equal versus unequal cluster sizes, almost always exceeded 85%, implying that loss of information due to unequal cluster sizes can be compensated for by increasing the number of clusters by 18%. The simulation results are in line with asymptotic results, showing that, for realistic sample sizes and various estimation methods, the asymptotic results can be used in planning multilevel intervention studies.     

The Characterization of the Symmetric Lorenz Curves by Doubly Truncated Mean Function

We characterize symmetric Lorenz curves by the relation m(x, μ²/x) = μ (where μ =E(X) and m(x, y) = E(X | x ≤ X ≤ y) is the doubly truncated mean function). We establish that the points of the r.v. which generate the symmetric points on the Lorenz curve are x and μ²/x, and that all the distribution functions defined on the same support which are generators of the symmetric Lorenz curves have the same mean. We obtain the conditions under which doubly truncated distributions generate symmetrical Lorenz curves.