Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integration between manufacturers and third party logistics providers

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyse the extent of the integration between manufacturers and third party logistics (TPL) providers at present and how the integration is expected to develop in the near future. The focus is on studying what tasks are part of the cooperation, what information and communications technology (ICT) tools are used for support, and what types of services are supplied and are expected to be supplied by TPL providers in the future.Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study of seven manufacturers and TPL providers is conducted. As the basis for the study a literature review is presented focusing on supply chain management and TPL provider integration as well as operationalisation of the integration concept. A framework is chosen for developing a detailed interview guide.Findings – Cooperation is primarily found in sub‐processes of three out of the eight business processes studied. Further integration in the same processes is expected, based on ICT tools and with.
Learning in an Estimated Medium-Scale DSGE Model

In this paper we evaluate the empirical relevance of learning by private agents in an estimated medium–scale DSGE model. We replace the standard rational expectation assumption in the Smets and Wouters (2007) model by a constant gain learning mechanism. If agents know the correct structure of the model and only learn about the parameters, both expectation mechanisms result in a similar fit, and only the transition dynamics that are generated by specific initial beliefs are responsible for the differences between the two approaches. If, in addition, agents use only a reduced information set in forming the perceived law of motion, the implied model dynamics change and for some initial beliefs the marginal likelihood of the model is further improved. The learning models with the highest posterior probabilities add some additional persistence to the DSGE model that reduce the gap between the IRFs of the DSGE model and the more data-driven DSGE-VAR model. However, the additional dynamics that are introduced by the learning process do not systematically alter the estimated structural parameters related to the nominal and real frictions in the DSGE model.
Performance Measurement and Management

This chapter reports and discusses data from interviews with university-based historians and physicists in Australia on performance measurement. We consider how they see accountability today, what they perceive as having changed in their institutional contexts and what kinds of effects new forms of performance assessment are having. The major change noted by all is the proliferation of metrics as measures of performance, and the greater use of these for assessment purposes outside the specific department level. Both physicists and historians were concerned that such measures were prone to distortions, and produced some incentives to focus on what is fashionable or less risky, and on strategies to produce greater publication quantity rather than quality. Research performance assessment apparently carries more weight than teaching quality assessment, and is interpreted as tacitly providing an incentive to reduce time spent on teaching compared with research. There appears to be some current variation across Australian universities in the extent to which performance assessment is consequential and the extent to which it appears to be primarily ceremonial.
Scientific Consensus on Climate Change?

Fear of anthropogenic “global warming” can adversely affect patients' well-being. Accordingly, the state of the scientific consensus about climate change was studied by a review of the 539 papers on “global climate change” found on the Web of Science database from January 2004 to mid-February 2007, updating research by Oreskes, who had reported that between 1993 and 2003 none of 928 scientific papers on “global climate change” had rejected the consensus that more than half of the warming of the past 50 years was likely to have been anthropogenic. In the present review, 31 papers (6% of the sample) explicitly or implicitly reject the consensus. Though Oreskes said that 75% of the papers in her former sample endorsed the consensus, fewer than half now endorse it. Only 7% do so explicitly. Only one paper refers to “catastrophic” climate change, but without offering evidence. There appears to be little evidence in the learned journals to justify the climate-change alarm that now harms patients.
Piracy and creation: the case of the music industry

In this paper we propose a model which shows that the impact of copyright infringement on music artists depends on the type of revenue that they receive (royalties from record companies, profits for self-released artists, revenues from live concerts). We then test the hypotheses derived from the model on a dataset consisting of a survey of 710 artists representative of the whole population of French professional musicians. The results are consistent with our model in so far as: (i) those artists with a recording contract who do more live performances are more tolerant of piracy; and (ii) self-released artists are less tolerant of piracy, and that their attitude is therefore closer to that of record companies.
Impaired interhemispheric inhibition in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The pathogenesis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains unknown. Neurophysiological studies provide evidence of hyperexcitability of the motor cortex or of impairment of inhibitory intrahemispheric modulation of the corticomotoneuron in ALS. In this paper, we used TMS to elicit transcallosal inhibition of the motor cortex in ALS patients in order to investigate whether interhemispheric inhibitory mechanisms subserved by callosal fibres are also disturbed in ALS. Twenty‐five patients with ALS and 18 controls were recruited for the study. Resting Motor Threshold (RMT), Silent Period (SP) and interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) were recorded. No significant difference was detected regarding RMT or the duration of SP between patients and controls. IHI was detected in all controls. IHI was totally absent in eight patients, in another eight patients IHI did not reach a significant level and in the remaining nine patients was normal. The degree of IHI was significantly lower in ALS patients than in controls (p = 0.001). In conclusion, altered IHI in ALS patients is in line with the general pattern of reduced corticomotoneuron inhibition, being thus, one of the factors which may lead to chronic overexcitation of pyramidal cells.
Different evolutionary paths: Technological development of laser diodes in the US and Japan, 1960–2000

Exploring the technological development of laser diodes from 1960 to 2000, this study examines how US and Japanese firms diverged from the same technological target to take separate evolutionary paths over time and came to be competitive in the different areas. Scrutinising the level of vertical integration, entrepreneurial start-ups, scientists' mobility and research networks, it shows that R&D efforts were scattered over different technological domains, giving US firms the chance to obtain technological advantages in customised and small markets. R&D efforts were concentrated in the same targeted markets in Japan, giving Japanese companies the opportunity to capture the markets offering the highest sales volumes.
Adaptability and Ongoing Contractual Term Specificity: Advancements and Theoretical Implications

Studies on interfirm contractual relations have followed an incremental path. Recent developments have suggested a dichotomous property of contracts (i.e., contingent adaptability and ongoing contractual term specificity). Such a view is one step toward resolving most contradictory findings in studies related to contracting that have assumed a single dimension. This article takes a step toward minimizing the vacuum on contracting theory by adding a stronger theoretical base that takes into account the dichotomous property of contracts. Findings suggest some differences and similarities in these key contractual components.
The contextual role of alcohol outlet density in college drinking.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between the physical availability of off-campus alcohol and drinking outcomes among college students. METHOD A multilevel analysis of students (N = 17,051) nested within college campuses (N = 32) was conducted. Four problem-drinking-related outcomes (i.e., average number of drinks when partying, frequency of drunkenness in past 2 weeks, 30-day frequency of drinking, and greatest number of drinks in one sitting) along with individual level covariates of drinking were introduced at the student level. The physical availability of alcohol was assessed as the number of on-premise and off-premise alcohol outlets within 3 miles of campus per 1,000 students enrolled. RESULTS Higher densities of on-premise alcohol outlets were strongly related to drinking outcomes even after controlling for individual predictors of college drinking. The association indicated that the campus means for the average number of drinks when partying and the number of drinking occasions in the past 30 days were, respectively, 1.13 drinks and 1.32 occasions greater when the outlet density was 2 SDs higher. CONCLUSIONS Off-campus, on-premise outlet density is strongly associated with college-drinking outcomes. Given the limited number of modifiable factors that affect college drinking, on-premise outlet density represents a potential modifiable means of addressing the problem.
DNA substrate specificity and cleavage kinetics of an archaeal homing-type endonuclease from Pyrobaculum organotrophum.

The protein encoded by intron 1 of the single 23S rRNA gene of the archaeal hyperthermophile Pyrobaculum organotrophum was isolated and shown to constitute a homing-type DNA endonuclease, I-PorI. It cleaves the intron- 23S rDNA of the closely related organism Pyrobaculum islandicum near the site of intron insertion in Pb.organotrophum. In contrast, no endonuclease activity was detected for the protein product of intron 2 of the same gene of Pb.organotrophum which, like I-PorI, carries the LAGLI-DADG motif, common to group I intron-encoded homing enzymes. I-PorI cleaves optimally at 80 degrees C, with kcat and Km values of about 2 min-1 and 4 nM, respectively, and generates four nucleotide 3'-overhangs and 5'-phosphates. It can cleave a 25 base pair DNA fragment encompassing the intron insertion site. A mutation-selection study established the base pair specificity of the endonuclease within a 17 bp region, from positions -6 to +11 with respect to the intron-insertion site. Four of the essential base pairs encode the sequence involved in the intron-exon interaction in the pre-rRNA that is required for recognition by the RNA splicing enzymes. Properties of the enzyme are compared and contrasted with those of eucaryotic homing endonucleases.
Cryptogenic stroke: time to determine aetiology

Summary. Strokes that remain without a definite cause even after extensive work‐up are classified as cryptogenic. These constitute about 30–40% of all strokes. Stroke aetiology may remain undetermined for the following reasons: (i) the cause of stroke is transitory or reversible and the diagnostic work‐out is not therefore performed at the appropriate time; (ii) all known causes of stroke are not fully investigated; (iii) some causes of stroke remain unknown. Recent studies have challenged the previous view that cryptogenic stroke is a relatively benign cerebrovascular event, and have shown that cryptogenic stroke is associated with a higher rate of recurrence and adverse outcome at long‐term follow‐up. The determination of stroke aetiology is a valuable procedure to avoid the risk of stroke recurrence, especially in young patients. In this review, we discuss new evidence on the aetiology of cryptogenic stroke, specifically focusing on patients with patent foramen ovale and atheroma of the aortic arch.
Spatial Interdependence in a Metropolitan Setting

Abstract Consideration is given to the spatial structure of the metropolitan area, and to the tendency for this to be generalized in terms of the stark dichotomy of city and suburbs. Focusing on a four-zone metropolitan area, a model of spatial interaction is outlined, the components of which are based on intersectoral trade, labour mobility, and consumption-expenditure patterns. These components are drawn together as layers in an organized sequence of processes. The linked components are shown to give rise to intricate patterns of spatial interdependence. These have the effect of blurring the city–suburbs distinction, and are fundamentally different from comparable patterns at other spatial scales.
Cross validating the consequences model of corporate governance underlying combination of stewardship and stakeholder theories

In this study, we examine the outcomes of good corporate governance underlying combination of stewardship and stakeholder theories. We develop a model that links good corporate governance, trust in top management, turnover intention, and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Good corporate governance was considered as antecedent and turnover intention and OCBs were considered as distal outcomes. Trust in top management was treated as a mediator in the model. We use a data set consisting of 303 and 156 branch managers collected in life assurance and banking business in Thailand to test the hypothesis. Results of our LISREL analyses support the proposed model. Good corporate governance was found to affect branch managers’ trust in top management, which in turn affects the turnover intention and OCBs. These findings have practical implication for the corporate management in Thai life assurance and banking business. Key words: Good corporate governance, trust in top management, organizational citizenship behaviors, turnover intention, multi-sample analysis.
Effect of Exchange Rate Volatility on Foreign Direct Investment in Saarc Countries

There are many determinants of foreign direct investment but exchange rate is one of the important determinant. The main concern of this research is to inspect the effect of exchange rate volatility on foreign direct investment in SAARC countries which includes Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Time series data is used in this paper from 1981 to 2013 which is taken from the World Bank website. The research intends to estimate the impact of exchange rate volatility, real exchange rate, GDP per capita, trade openness and FDI with lag on foreign direct investment. The GMM technique is used to study the relation of these variables with FDI and unit root test is used to check at which level variables are stationary. The result shows that there is a negative relationship between exchange rate volatility and foreign direct investment for these countries and the results of all the other variables are according to our expectation and prior studies.
Citizen Participation in Budgeting: A Trade-Off between Knowledge and Inclusiveness?

Prior research on citizen participation has noted a tension between fostering an inclusive policymaking process and simultaneously maintaining a competent pool of participating citizens. This study investigates the implications of this trade-off by testing the impact of measured levels of inclusiveness and participating citizens’ knowledgeability on two performance metrics: citizen engagement and process efficiency. Results indicate that although inclusiveness may be negatively associated with the level of engagement, both knowledgeability and inclusiveness are positively associated with process efficiency. Overall, the findings suggest that policymakers can pursue the democratic ideal of opening policymaking to the citizenry while still maintaining an efficient process.
Structural Change and Productivity Growth in the Japanese Manufacturing Industry

Abstract This paper analyses the relationship between structural changes and productivity performances of the manufacturing sector in the Japanese economy, the primary driver of productivity growth in Japan that absorbs a large fraction of the labour force. Using the shift-share analysis, we decompose the total labour productivity growth in Japan into two components: labour productivity growth and structural change across in the manufacturing sector to assess the interaction between them. The analysis provides greater detail on structural changes by classifying the manufacturing industries into four sectors according to the degree of technological sophistication: low-technology, medium-low-technology, medium-high-technology, and high-technology. We found that the superior productivity performance in the Japanese economy takes place most notably in the medium-high-technology sector, as results of fundamental structural change occurred in the late 1990s. This has brought a shift in Japan's comparative advantage from lower-technology to higher-technology manufacturing. Finally, some implications will be discussed with respect to this empirical finding.
Collateralization, Bank Loan Rates and Monitoring : Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Collateral is one of the most important features of a debt contract. A substantial theoretical literature motivates the use of collateral as a means to alleviate ex-ante and ex-post information asymmetries between borrowers and lenders and the incidence of credit rationing. Through its seniority effect, collateral may also affect banks’ incentives to monitor borrowers. There is little empirical evidence, however, on the precise workings of collateral, its interaction with other contract terms, and its impact on banks’ monitoring incentives. We study a change in the Swedish law that exogenously reduced the value of all outstanding company mortgages, i.e., a type of collateral that is comparable to the floating lien. We explore this natural experiment to identify how collateral determines borrower quality, loan terms, access to credit and bank monitoring of business term loans. Using a differences-in-differences approach, we find that following the change in the law and the loss in collateral value borrowers pay a higher interest rate on their loans, receive a worse quality assessment by their bank, and experience a substantial reduction in the supply of credit by their bank. Consistent with theories that consider collateral and monitoring to be complements, the reduction in collateral precedes a decrease in bank monitoring intensity and frequency of both collateral and borrower.
Differential expression of two genes located on the X chromosome between male and female in vitro–produced bovine embryos at the blastocyst stage

The potentially unbalanced expression at preimplantation developmental stages of X‐linked genes might be responsible of the faster development of male than female embryos in vitro. Two genes located on the X chromosome, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT), are involved in controlling the amount of oxygen radicals, and hence they might have influence in embryo development. We have quantified mRNA expression of these two genes, using in vitro fertilized–in vitro cultured male and female bovine embryos. In vitro‐produced early blastocysts obtained at days 7 and 8 were collected and biopsied for gender determination, and the remaining embryos were kept in LN2 until RNA purification. After sex determination, embryos were pooled in groups of 3 males or 3 females, and mRNA was purified. Using a semiquantitative sensitive reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay, we detected G6PD and HPRT mRNA expression at the early blastocyst stage in all bovine embryos analyzed. Moreover, mRNA expression of both genes studied was significantly higher in female embryos than in male embryos. The differential expression of G6PD and HPRT at these early stages confirm that sex differences are evident prior to gonadal differentiation and that preimplantation bovine embryos have sexually dimorphic gene expression at least with respect to G6PD and HPRT transcripts. These differences might be responsible of the faster development in culture of in vitro‐produced male bovine that has been reported. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55:146–151, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Electoral Accountability and Local Government Spending in Indonesia

This paper takes advantage of the exogenous phasing of direct elections in districts and applies the double-difference estimator to measure impacts on (i) human development outcomes and (ii) the pattern of public spending and revenue generation at the district level. The analysis reveals that four years after the switch to direct elections, there have been no significant effects on human development outcomes. However, the estimates of the impact of Pilkada on health expenditures at the district level suggest that directly elected district officials may have become more responsive to local needs at least in the area of health. The composition of district expenditures changes considerably during the year and sometimes the year before the elections, shifting toward expenditure categories that allow incumbent district heads running as candidates in the direct elections to"buy"voter support. Electoral reforms did not lead to higher revenue generation from own sources and had no effect on the budget surplus of districts with directly elected heads.
Short-Term Autocorrelation in Australian Equities

This paper examines the statistical and economic significance of short-term autocorrelation in Australian equities. We document large negative first-order autocorrelation in individual stock returns. Preliminary results suggest this autocorrelation is economically significant, as two simple trading strategies based on the autocorrelation structure appear to yield large risk-adjusted returns. Further analysis, however, shows that these results are driven by the inclusion of smallcapitalisation and low-priced stocks which are vulnerable to a number of market-microstructure-related problems. After revising the dataset to mitigate these problems, little evidence of economic significance remains.
Pricing American Put Options Using the Mean Value Theorem

This paper proposes a unique framework for the determination of the exercise boundary of American put option utilizing the mean value theorem for integration. We have isolated the path‐dependent feature of the problem through a small term, and formulated an iteration procedure that avoids an explicit integration over the exercise boundary in the integral representation of the pricing. Our method outperforms other methods in the literature in terms of accuracy and efficiency for the pricing of American put options with maturity in the region of most practical uses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 36:793–815, 2016