Refinement and validation of a comprehensive scale for measuring HR practices aimed at performance-enhancement and employee-support

The purpose of this paper is to refine and validate a Human Resource practices (HRP) scale to measure employees' perceptions and test a two-tier model structured in eight practices and two bundles. In a sample of 554 employees, an EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis) offered six factors that explained about 70% of the variance. Then, with 1647 employees (from 41 Spanish organizations), first- and second-order models were tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The former encompasses eight practices. The latter grouped the practices in two bundles, one on enhancing performance and the other on supporting employees. The Cronbach's alpha, Rho coefficient (Composite Reliability Coefficient), Omega coefficient, and Spearman-Brown split half coefficient showed good reliability. Validity evidence was found for construct, criterion, convergent, content, discriminant, and predictive validity. Moreover, the paper integrates different ways of approaching the study of HR management based on employees' perceptions, using a two-tier approach. The two-bundle model showed better fit, pointing out the importance of paying attention to multiple outcomes for employees and organizations. The study makes a relevant theoretical contribution about the role and aims of HRM practices for organizational success and employees' performance and well-being.     

Inference and Decision Making for 21st-Century Drug Development and Approval

ABSTRACT

The cost and time of pharmaceutical drug development continue to grow at rates that many say are unsustainable. These trends have enormous impact on what treatments get to patients, when they get them and how they are used. The statistical framework for supporting decisions in regulated clinical development of new medicines has followed a traditional path of frequentist methodology. Trials using hypothesis tests of “no treatment effect” are done routinely, and the p-value < 0.05 is often the determinant of what constitutes a “successful” trial. Many drugs fail in clinical development, adding to the cost of new medicines, and some evidence points blame at the deficiencies of the frequentist paradigm. An unknown number effective medicines may have been abandoned because trials were declared “unsuccessful” due to a p-value exceeding 0.05. Recently, the Bayesian paradigm has shown utility in the clinical drug development process for its probability-based inference. We argue for a Bayesian approach that employs data from other trials as a “prior” for Phase 3 trials so that synthesized evidence across trials can be utilized to compute probability statements that are valuable for understanding the magnitude of treatment effect. Such a Bayesian paradigm provides a promising framework for improving statistical inference and regulatory decision making.     

人力资本产权化挑战公司治理理论

在对已有公司治理理论评述的基础上,从人力资本产权特征和公司治理效率的贡献两个方面,论述说明人力资本产权所有者将成为公司治理的核心主体。提出谈判控制理论,以资本剥夺程度的强弱作为衡量谈判控制力大小的依据。对非人力资本与人力资本,无论是谁侵蚀谁的利益都必须纳入“公司治理”范畴;应以两者是否在谈判控制的平等合约内建立作为判断是否侵权的标准;认为判断控制力大小的主要因素应该是专有性大小。提出分类治理的理念,得出对我国公司法人治理的三点启示。     

我国民事审级制度的改革与完善——比较法学视角下的分析

比较分析中国、日本、德国、美国、法国及我国台湾地区的民事审级制度可以看出我国审级制度中存在的弊端。实际上 ,实行有条件的三审终审制更具合理性。为此 ,我国原有的两审终审制必须加以改革 ,那就是实行以两审终审为原则、以三审终审为例外的民事审级制度。     

Firm-level training in local economic systems: Complementarities in production and firm innovation strategies

The paper presents a conceptual review over the main aspects concerning the role of human capital investments and training activities within production processes, followed by empirical evidence on two local economic systems in Northern Italy, based on recent survey data. Theoretical and empirical considerations are brought together in order to provide new insights on the role of training and the factors associated to training activities at firm level.The potential driving factors of training here analysed compounds structural characteristics, labour demand dynamics, human resource management practices, workforce features, and firm performances. We observe that training activities emerge positively associated with high-performance practices, innovative labour demand features, workforce skill level, firm size, and are affected by labour flexibility in various directions. Empirical evidence confirms most previous results but also adds further important insights. The analysis suggests that a widening gap, between few innovatively evolving and many stagnant firms, could characterise the future dynamics of the Region. The high relevance of structural variables, labour demand factors and HRM/innovation practices shows that regional industrial policies and labour policies should be jointly implemented for increasing potential firm productivity. This is a key concern for the current debate on local systems economic development in the European and Italian environment.     

Direct and Indirect Causal Effects via Potential Outcomes*

Abstract. The use of the concept of ‘direct’ versus ‘indirect’ causal effects is common, not only in statistics but also in many areas of social and economic sciences. The related terms of ‘biomarkers’ and ‘surrogates’ are common in pharmacological and biomedical sciences. Sometimes this concept is represented by graphical displays of various kinds. The view here is that there is a great deal of imprecise discussion surrounding this topic and, moreover, that the most straightforward way to clarify the situation is by using potential outcomes to define causal effects. In particular, I suggest that the use of principal stratification is key to understanding the meaning of direct and indirect causal effects. A current study of anthrax vaccine will be used to illustrate ideas.     

石油石化企业人力资源政策探讨

本文对石油石化企业重组上市后人力资源政策进行了探讨 ,并提出了贯彻实施这些政策应采取的措施     

合作型研发项目的研究范式探微——以人类基因组计划为例

人类基因组计划是一项国际大科学计划,其科学价值和经济价值不言而喻,更重要的是它突破了原有的研究框架,以一种系统的方法论理念和战略思维方式,开创了全新的研究范式。作为21世纪科学研究的前沿和富有挑战性的重大课题,人类基因组计划的研究范式代表了今后日趋复杂的科学技术项目研究的趋势,对此进行研究具有非常重要的意义。     

知识产权&#183;人权&#183;发展

现有的知识产权制度正在朝着保护经济利益的方向发展,也因此引发了世界范围内关于知识产权与人权问题上的争论。知识产权的提出与制度化发展是人类社会发展的必然结果,具有哲学、经济学上的合理性。从本质上看,知识产权属于私权。但同时知识产权也属于发展权的一个重要组成部分。只有对知识产权的发展权本质进行深入的探讨和研究,才能把握知识产权发展思想的真谛和实现知识产权制度的价值目标。     

Asymptotic bias in the linear mixed effects model under non-ignorable missing data mechanisms

Summary.  In longitudinal studies, missingness of data is often an unavoidable problem. Estimators from the linear mixed effects model assume that missing data are missing at random. However, estimators are biased when this assumption is not met. In the paper, theoretical results for the asymptotic bias are established under non-ignorable drop-out, drop-in and other missing data patterns. The asymptotic bias is large when the drop-out subjects have only one or no observation, especially for slope-related parameters of the linear mixed effects model. In the drop-in case, intercept-related parameter estimators show substantial asymptotic bias when subjects enter late in the study. Eight other missing data patterns are considered and these produce asymptotic biases of a variety of magnitudes.