Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating Consumer Surplus and Elasticity of Demand of Tourist Visitation to a Region in North Queensland Using Contingent Valuation

The Daintree Rainforest is a prime attraction for Tropical North Queensland as a tourist destination. Visitation of the rainforest, specifically the Cape Tribulation section, has increased rapidly as impediments to self-drive access have been removed. This paper examines the potential for the local council to manage the volume of self-drive visitation to the Cape Tribulation region by price mechanisms. Access to the region is by river ferry only. The assessment is based on estimates of willingness to pay from a contingent valuation survey of self-drive tourists to the region, from which estimates of consumer surplus and price elasticity of demand are derived. It is concluded that increasing the price for ferry crossings could be an effective and efficient means of (a) reducing traffic volumes caused by self-drive visitors and thereby alleviating traffic-related social and environmental problems, and (b) significantly increasing the resource rent which the municipality can draw from tourism, with additional revenue from the ferry being available for the improved management of this prime tourist destination.
The Role of Credit Supply in the Australian Economy

Historical experience shows that disruptions in credit markets can have a material impact on activity and inflation. However, it is hard to measure such effects owing to the difficulty in isolating credit supply shocks. This paper employs survey data to identify the impact of credit supply shocks in Australia over the past three decades, using a structural vector autoregression approach. We estimate that a one standard deviation shock to the balance of firms reporting difficulty obtaining finance (a 'credit supply shock') reduces Australian GDP by almost ⅓ per cent after one year and gross national expenditure by nearly ½ per cent. The effect on business credit is larger and more persistent, with credit declining by nearly 1 per cent relative to its baseline after two and a half years. During the global financial crisis, the cumulative impact of credit supply shocks is estimated to have contributed to a reduction in GDP of 1 per cent (in mid 2009). While credit supply shocks had a notable effect on GDP during the global financial crisis, this credit event appears to have been shorter and sharper than that experienced during the period of financial instability in the early 1990s. Consistent with a 'credit channel' of monetary policy transmission, an unexpected tightening of monetary policy results in a significant increase in the balance of firms reporting difficulty obtaining finance. We also find effects consistent with a financial accelerator mechanism, whereby an improvement in balance sheets results in easier credit conditions and higher GDP and business credit. Altogether, these results suggest that credit market developments have been an integral aspect of the business cycle in Australia since financial deregulation in the 1980s.
Audit Fees and Deeds of Cross Guarantee: An Empirical Evaluation

Since 1985, directors of Australian corporate groups have had the opportunity to execute a regulatory financing instrument, currently described as a deed of cross guarantee (DXG), between a holding company and one or more subsidiaries. This unique Australian regulatory intervention was advanced and justified on the basis that relieving subsidiaries from financial reporting requirements with associated cross-guaranteeing debt obligations would reduce the regulatory burden on groups of companies, and subsequently reduce audit and administration costs. Given the claims of regulators' and others in the business community, this paper examines whether, ceteris paribus, the DXG has a significant mitigating effect on audit fee determination. Specifically, the study evaluates whether a particular engagement attribute decreases audit complexity and subsequently audit risk and audit fees. After controlling for size and group structure complexity of the auditee, the study finds that first-time adopters of a DXG pay less in audit fees relative to non-DXG groups, but there is lack of evidence to support ongoing audit fee savings from having a DXG in place. On the contrary, results show that a group with an established DXG pays much higher audit fees, which may be a consequence of the DXG introducing added complexity to the audit. The study also contributes to the methodological development of the standard audit fee model, particularly for the Australian context.
“I Never Saw Him Play but We Were the Best of Friends for Years”

Football management games have long been a successful computer game genre combining the worlds of passionate and opinionated football fans and gamers obsessed with overachievements in quasi-reality environments. These types of games propel the consumer into a newfound intertextual “reality. ” It is here that feelings of identification are played out and where pseudosocial relationships begin to develop. This article charts such relationships, as they are explicated online in the form of online blogs. Through analysing the content of Championship Manager/Football Manager blogs, data show how game players speak frequently of pseudosocial relationships, characterised in this case study by emotions of loyalty and friendship. Many have nostalgic tales from past achievements and bonds with individual players that bridge the many iterations of the game over the past 15 years. This study highlights experiences, as cited by bloggers, which transcends physical and virtual realities.
The Latino Vote in the 2004 Election

In presidential elections over the last several decades, observers have noticed two patterns involving Latinos. The first, according to DeSipio and de la Garza (2002, 398), is that “With each presidential election, the media and the punditocracy discover Latinos anew. ” As Jorge Ramos (2004) pointed out, “Without fail every four years, many politicians in the United States rediscover Latinos, only to forget them all over again for the next three years…It is a phenomenon so predictable that I have dubbed it the ‘Christopher Columbus Syndrome. ”’
Inflation as a Global Phenomenon -- Some Implications for Policy Analysis and Forecasting

We evaluate the performance of inflation forecasts based on the open-economy Phillips curve by exploiting the spatial pattern of international propagation of inflation. We model these spatial linkages using global inflation and either domestic slack or oil price fluctuations, motivated by a novel interpretation of the forecasting implications of the workhorse open-economy New Keynesian model (Martinez-Garcia and Wynne (2010), Kabukcuoglu and Martinez-Garcia (2014)). We find that incorporating spatial interactions yields significantly more accurate forecasts of local inflation in 14 advanced countries (including the U.S.) than a simple autoregressive model that captures only the temporal dimension of the inflation dynamics.
Pricing Bounds on Asian Options

Abstract This paper aims to develop and compare bounds on the pricing formulas for European type discrete Asian options. The lower bound is found by conditioning the maturity payment of the Asian option by the geometric average and the bound derived can be expressed as a portfolio of delayed payment European call options. Several exercise price-dependent upper bounds are derived. Like the lower bound, one of the upper bounds is expressed as a portfolio of delayed payment European call options. Through a numerical analysis, we conclude that more information is gained from the readily calculated bounds than from the usually applied pricing approximations. From the closed-form solutions of the bounds, hedging positions are finally derived.
Human Capital Theory: Implications for HR Managers

This paper reviews some of the contributions of and challenges to human capital theory. It focuses on the alleged link between earings and education and experience and on competing explanations for observed earning differentis by race and by gender. The review concludes that while human capital theory provides some central insights about the supply side of the labor market, the challenges to this theory suggest that the demand side od the market, i.e., the actions of human resource managers, also play a key role in detemining earnings and employment. Moreover, these challenges suggest that government policies can be instrmental in effecting a more efficient and equitable use of human resources.
The long-term organizational impact of destructively narcissistic managers

Executive Overview Destructive narcissism (DN) is both a common and significant problem in organizations. The outward self-confidence, drive for power, and ruthlessness of destructively narcissistic managers (DN managers) facilitate their rise to positions of power. At the same time, their devaluation of others, singular focus on what is best for themselves, and difficulties in working with others can markedly impair an organization's morale and performance, and even drive away the most talented employees. Most large organizations have enough DN managers to present a significant and costly problem. This article begins by discussing the nature and origins of DN and then moves on to explore how DN can simultaneously facilitate the rise of managers to positions of power and do significant damage to the organizations they work for. Two detailed case studies are provided. The article discusses why DN managers are able to survive and prosper in some organizations despite their destructive behavior, how people c.
A Brand New Brand of Corporate Social Performance

We argue that corporate social performance (CSP) has become a legitimizing identity (brand) for researchers in the business and society field, but it has not developed into a viable theoretical or operational construct. Because measuring CSP is contingent on the operational setting (industry, issues, etc.), it is difficult to produce worthwhile comparisons across studies or generalizing beyond the boundaries of a specific study. The authors suggest that researchers remove the CSP label from their operational variables, and instead narrowly define their studies in operational terms. They provide aworking example of the proposed research direction by examining the theory underlying the popular CSP–financial performance (FP) debate. In the authors’ conceptualization, stakeholder action provides the underlying logic connecting CSP-FP, and we recast the research question to investigate the conditions under which stakeholders will take action to influence the focal organization and when those actions will influence the CSP-FP link.
Skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) Have Highly Conserved Karyotypes as Revealed by Chromosome Painting

Skinks represent the most diversified squamate reptiles with a great variation in body size and form, and are found worldwide in a variety of habitats. Their remarkable diversification has been accompanied by only a few chromosome rearrangements, resulting in highly-conservative chromosomal complements of these lizards. In this study cross-species chromosome painting using Scincus scincus (2n = 32) as the source genome, was used to detect the chromosomal rearrangements and homologies between the following skinks: Chalcides chalcides (2n = 28), C. ocellatus (2n = 28), Eumeces schneideri (2n = 32), Lepidothyris fernandi (2n = 30), Mabuya quinquetaeniata (2n = 32). The results of this study confirmed a high degree of chromosome conservation between these species. The main rearrangements in the studied skinks involve chromosomes 3, 5, 6 and 7 of S. scincus. These subtelocentric chromosomes are homologous to the p and q arms of metacentric pair 3 and 4 in C. chalcides, C. ocellatus, L. fernandi, and M. quinquetaeniata, while they are entirely conserved in E. schneideri. Other rearrangements involve S. scincus 11 in L. fernandi and M. quinquetaeniata, supporting the monophyly of Lygosominae, and one of the chromosomes S. scincus 12–16, in M. quinquetaeniata. In conclusion, our data support the monophyly of Scincidae and confirm that Scincus-Eumeces plus Chalcides do not form a monophyletic clade, suggesting that the Scincus-Eumeces clade is basal to other members of this family. This study represents the first time the whole genome of any reptile species has been used for cross-species chromosome painting to assess chromosomal evolution in this group of vertebrates.
Does Mena’s Governance Lead to Spatial Agglomeration?

This paper studies the link between spatial imbalance and political governance with an emphasis on the MENA region. The agglomeration index is our indicator of spatial imbalance. We distinguish two aspects of political governance: political rights and political stability. Statistically, we find that the agglomeration rate is higher in MENA, whereas the indexes of political rights and political stability are lower in MENA compared to the rest of the world and other lower middle income countries. Using cross-sectional data for 182 countries around the world, we find that the political rights index is negatively and significantly related to the agglomeration index. Our results suggest that an improvement in MENA countries’ level of political rights to the average of the rest of the world would be associated with an agglomeration rate four percentage points lower than its average level in the region. Moreover, the data reveal an inverted-U relationship between the agglomeration rate and GDP per capita, and a negative effect of trade openness on agglomeration rate.
Remittances from Internal Migration and Poverty in Botswana

This study seeks to address the question of the existence of a relationship between remittances from internal la-bour migrants and poverty. Data was obtained from a stratified random sample survey of internal migrants and poverty in Botswana in 2004. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the migrants. A total of 1160 migrant households were enumerated. The lived poverty index method is used to estimate the level of pov-erty. It takes the social aspect of development into consideration, thereby reducing the limitations of the eco-nomic measurement of poverty. Logistic regression analysis is used to examine the remittance-poverty relation-ship. Though female-headed households are transitorily poorer than their male counterparts, there is no signifi-cant gender difference among the extremely poor. The results do not show conclusively that migrant remittances have moderating effect on poverty in the country. Policy implications are addressed.
Small-signal terminal-characteristics modeling of three-phase droop-controlled inverters

Droop-controlled inverters are widely employed as power sources in three-phase AC power electronics system, such as distributed generation, while the interaction between the source and the load may lead overall system to be unstable. Terminal-characteristics based stability criteria are very attractive for analyzing the stability of three-phase AC power electronics system. However, the systems, composed by droop-controlled inverters, exhibit the dynamical variation of fundamental angular frequency, and existing stability analysis approaches are just suitable for systems with constant fundamental angular frequency. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes small-signal terminal-characteristics model of the three-phase droop-controlled inverter covering the dynamic of fundamental angular frequency, and both current mode operation and voltage mode operation are taken into account. Finally, the proposed model is verified in frequency domain.
The challenges facing young workers during rural labor transition

Purpose - The paper aims to discuss whether the younger generation of China's rural labor force is prepared, in terms of education level or labor quality, for the future labor markets under China's industrial upgrading. Design/methodology/approach - Using nationally representative survey data, the paper gives detailed discussions on the young rural laborers' education attainments, and their off-farm employment status including job patterns, working hours, and hourly wage rates. The relationship between education and employment status is analyzed and tested. Through these discussions, an employment challenge is revealed, and some policy implications are made. Findings - This paper finds that China's young rural laborers are generally poorly educated and mainly unskilled. They work long hours and are low paid. While they lack the labor quality that will be required to meet the industrial upgrading, an employment challenge may face them in the near future. This paper also finds a strong link between education levels and employment status for the young labor force, which implies the possible effect of policies such as improving rural education. Originality/value - Based on a solid foundation of a national rural household survey, this paper updates the understanding of the education and employment situations of the young rural labor force in contemporary China. The concern about the employment challenges raised in the paper is related to the future of China's rural labor transition and the whole economy.
Community organising in the UK: A ‘new’ approach for trade unions?

In recent years a number of UK unions have been considering how to (re)engage with communities in order to rebuild the links that were so important to the origins and development of trade unionism. As such, we have seen parts of the UK union movement investing time and resources into exploring whether community organising can engage new actors and new union members in fighting for workers’ rights and against social injustice more broadly. This article explores the factors behind this ‘new’ turn to community-based organising and outlines the current state of developments in this area; it is based on over 10 years of research into community organising in the UK, working closely with the TUC, affiliate unions and community-based organisations. Findings suggest that the current economic climate and declining power at the point of production, as well as successes by new actors in the employment-relations arena, are driving this current interest and activity in community organising.
Steroid modulation of the GABAA receptor complex: electrophysiological studies.

The effect of some endogenous and synthetic steroids on the operation of inhibitory and excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter receptors was examined. Anaesthetic pregnane steroids (e.g. alphaxalone, 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one, 5 alpha-pregnane-3 alpha,21-diol-20-one) potentiated GABAA receptor-mediated whole-cell currents recorded from bovine chromaffin cells. The threshold concentration for enhancement was 10-30 nM. Potentiation was stereoselective and was mediated by a steroid-induced prolongation of the burst duration of the GABA-activated channel. Additionally, the pregnane steroids directly activated the GABAA receptor. Both the potentiation and activation appear to be mediated through a site(s) distinct from the well-known barbiturate and benzodiazepine allosteric sites of the GABAA receptor. Intracellularly applied alphaxalone and 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one had no discernible effects on the GABAA receptor, suggesting that the steroid binding site can only be accessed extracellularly. Unlike behaviourally depressant barbiturates, which modulate GABAA receptor function in a manner similar to that of the pregnane steroids, alphaxalone and 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one show striking pharmacological selectivity. Voltage-clamp recordings from rat central neurons in culture indicate that pentobarbitone exerts its potentiating and GABA-mimetic effects over a range of concentrations which also depress currents mediated by glutamate receptor subtypes. In contrast, alphaxalone and several endogenous steroids greatly enhance responses to GABA, but have no direct effect on glutamate receptors. Such pharmacological selectivity, coupled with appropriate stereoselectivity of action, suggests that the GABAA receptor mediates some of the behavioural effects of synthetic and endogenous pregnane steroids.
Tricks of the Trade: The Performance and Interpretation of Authenticity

This paper discusses a Tokyo advertising agency's preparation of campaign ideas for a competitive presentation made to a Japanese multinational corporation planning to advertise in both Germany and the United States, and the part played therein by the author as authentic foreign other. Based on anthropological fieldwork, the paper gives details of the client's orientation and the agency's subsequent market analysis and creative interpretations, while following the back-stage interpretations of key personnel's tastes by the agency's account team as a means towards making their final selection of campaign ideas for the presentation. This description gives rise to two complementary analyses of authenticity. One concerns advertising as 'authentic reproduction' in the context of the interpretation of cultural stereotypes. The other analyses back stage strategy and front stage performance to show how the performance and interpretation of authenticity are tricks of the trade that enable Japanese business organizations to be seen as professional and credible in the eyes of their clients, competitors, customers and partners.
Use of Pristinamycin for Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma genitalium Infection

High levels of macrolide resistance and increasing fluoroquinolone resistance are found in Mycoplasma genitalium in many countries. We evaluated pristinamycin for macrolide-resistant M. genitalium in a sexual health center in Australia. Microbiologic cure was determined by M. genitalium–specific 16S PCR 14–90 days after treatment began. Of 114 persons treated with pristinamycin, infection was cured in 85 (75%). This percentage did not change when pristinamycin was given at daily doses of 2 g or 4 g or at 3 g combined with 200 mg doxycycline. In infections with higher pretreatment bacterial load, treatment was twice as likely to fail for each 1 log10 increase in bacterial load. Gastrointestinal side effects occurred in 7% of patients. Pristinamycin at maximum oral dose, or combined with doxycycline, cured 75% of macrolide-resistant M. genitalium infections. Pristinamycin is well-tolerated and remains an option where fluoroquinolones have failed or cannot be used.
Motivational Factors Affecting High School Teachers' Professional Conduct and Work Performance: A Case of Public High Schools in Nairobi City

Professional conduct is critical to effective work performance of all employees including teachers. The teaching profession requires a high degree of professionalism as required in the teacher’s code of conduct, professional ethics and generally ‘expected’ norms for teachers by the society given the important role teachers play in molding students, guidance and overall students’ academic performance. The foregoing notwithstanding, there have been reports indicative that teachers professional conduct has not been consistent with their professional call. Proper understanding and appreciation of the underlying motivational factors affecting the professional conduct of teachers is critical to effective management of the challenge therein. Poor professional conduct has been put forward as a precursor to low morale and is said to lead to poor work performance. Low morale emanates from lack of motivation and failure by employers to address employee needs, drives and capabilities. This study sought to establish the motivational factors affecting teachers’ professional conduct and work performance of high school teachers in Nairobi County. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of 150 teachers. The findings indicated teachers professional conduct and work performance is greatly influenced by motivational factors and there is need to review the motivational tools in place to align them with the teachers need.