Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Value systems as a mechanism for organizational change

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role played by value systems as mechanisms for organizational change. Three issues are examined: purpose; implementation; and effects, intended and unintended, that may arise from using values systems as a management control mechanism to effect organizational change.Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on evidenced garnered from an in‐depth, longitudinal study of a major UK based organization which operates in the “global communications industry”. Data are collected from a range of sources, but particularly interviews and a questionnaire survey involving a broad cross‐section of the company's managers.Findings – Findings suggest that, in terms of purpose, top management may use value systems as a management control mechanism to effect organizational change by espousing a new set of normative values which should inform managers' decisions and actions, particularly in trade‐off situations. Communication and implementation of value syst.
The Monetary Value of Virtual Goods: An Exploratory Study in MMORPGs

This study investigates the monetary value of time spent in virtual worlds in the context of 24 most popular MMORPGs. Building on classic economic theory, we approach this issue through a combination of theoretical modeling, experiment, and cross-sectional time series data analysis. Our findings suggest that intensive social networking and flatter social hierarchy structures are associated with lower monetary value of time spent in-game. Further, two opposite network effects on the monetary value of ingame time spent were observed: One is the positive network effect from the active user base; the other is the negative network effect from the intensity of social networking. Both are strengthened by steeper social hierarchy structures. The implication is that social networking and hierarchy structure can be two effective angles for game developers or policy makers to address the issue of real-money trading of virtual goods.
Up-to-date probabilistic temperature climatologies

With ongoing global warming, climatologies based on average past temperatures are increasingly recognized as imperfect guides for current conditions, yet there is no consensus on alternatives. Here, we compare several approaches to deriving updated expected values of monthly mean temperatures, including moving average, exponentially weighted moving average, and piecewise linear regression. We go beyond most previous work by presenting updated climate normals as probability distributions rather than only point estimates, enabling estimation of the changing likelihood of hot and cold extremes. We show that there is a trade-off between bias and variance in these approaches, but that bias can be mitigated by an additive correction based on a global average temperature series, which has much less interannual variability than a single-station series. Using thousands of monthly temperature time series from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), we find that the exponentially weighted moving average with a timescale of 15 years and global bias correction has good overall performance in hindcasting temperatures over the last 30 years (1984–2013) compared with the other methods tested. Our results suggest that over the last 30 years, the likelihood of extremely hot months (above the 99th percentile of the temperature probability distribution as of the early 1980s) has increased more than fourfold across the GHCN stations, whereas the likelihood of very cold months (under the 1st percentile) has decreased by over two-thirds.
Relationship between Organizational Change and Failure in the Wine Industry: An Event History Analysis

Whether organizational change is adaptive or disruptive has been an issue among organization researchers. This paper examines the effect of organizational change on organizational failure and compares the result to previous findings. To increase comparability, we replicated Delacroix and Swaminathan’s (1991) format of the California wine industry study using Missouri wine industry data. Event history analysis is used to cover time‐varying variables and censoring problems. Following an organizational ecology perspective, our result supports the finding that organizational change is not related to organizational failure
Institutional context and e-recruitment practices of Danish organizations

Purpose – Up to now, there has been little research on the impact of the external environment on recruitment practices of organizations, and in part it lags behind practice. The purpose of this paper is to rectify this by studying recent changes in recruitment practices of Danish organizations and the adoption of e-recruitment from a macro organizational perspective.Design/methodology/approach – The study employs new institutional theory as a theoretical lens in order to understand how external pressures impact upon recruitment professionals and their practices. The empirical part is based on interpretive methods and the inductive analysis of data. The data were collected from a number of sources, such as exploratory interviews, observations, web sites, and other secondary material from 2008 to 2013.Findings – The findings indicate that recruitment practices are strongly influenced by changes stemming from functional and social pressures of the wider society, such as the labour market and the penetration of the internet into Danish society. That is reflected in the widespread use of digital HRM in general, and e-recruitment in particular. The study concludes that the recruitment field has transformed and reviewed its practices to a great extent due to the changes in how individuals search for employment and expect to be hired.Research limitations/implications – The empirical part of this study is limited to Denmark, and its economic, social, and cultural domains, yet the research design can be applied elsewhere.Originality/value – The paper contributes to a better understanding of HRM in context, the pressures and mechanisms for adoption of new recruitment practices, and more specifically the rationale for adopting e-recruitment practices. Additionally, it offers a novel research framework for future research on recruitment from the neoinstitutional perspective.
Cooperation and partnering in facilities construction – empirical application of prisoner's dilemma

Purpose – To investigate if game theoretic reasoning may be used to explain a lack of cooperation in buyer‐supplier relationships within construction and facilities management. In order to make an empirical application of the prisoner's dilemma (PD) game, possible important variables are operationalized and empirically measured.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data concerning pay‐offs and the variables in the discount parameter formula (created in this paper) have been obtained through interviews with clients and contractors in the Swedish construction sector.Findings – This paper suggests a way to operationalize pay‐offs and the discount parameter, making empirical measurements possible. Owing to differences in pay‐offs and the discount parameter, different forms of contracts will affect cooperation. Cumulative values of cooperation are much higher in lasting relationships than in occasional transactions. Thus, the best way to facilitate cooperation between rational players is long‐term contracts.
Ten-year outcome of intraoperative treatment of atrial fibrillation using radiofrequency ablation

Background Intraoperative radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been advocated to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). This report examines the long-term effects of intraoperative RFA in the prevention of recurrence of AF when used as an adjunctive treatment in patients undergoing cardiac procedures for primary indications unrelated to their arrhythmia. Methods The study reviewed the records of patients from a tertiary medical center which had 2 cardiac surgeons performing an intraoperative adjunctive RFA procedure. A total of 20 patients undergoing RFA between April 11, 2003 and May 10, 2005 were included and followed for up to 10 years. The primary effectiveness outcome of the study was the recurrence of AF during the follow-up period. Data were collected from office or hospital medical records. Results A total of 20 patients were included (mean age 69.4 years, males 40%). Eight patients were followed for 10 years and 2 patients for 9 years; 7 patients died during the 10-year follow-up period and 3 patients were lost to follow-up. As their primary procedures, the patients underwent valve surgery (65%), bypass surgery (15%), or both (20%). Intraoperative RFA failed to restore sinus rhythm in 2 patients. In the remaining 18 patients, AF recurred in 10 patients within 2 months of surgery, in 1 patient at 5 months, in 1 patient at 7 months, and in 6 patients after 1 year. Conclusion AF had recurred in 100% of patients by the end of the long-term follow-up period. The adjunctive intraoperative RFA and postoperative interventions employed in this early study failed to maintain sinus rhythm.
EFFECTS OF SULPHITE SUPPLEMENTATION ON VASCULAR RESPONSIVENESS IN SULPHITE OXIDASE‐DEFICIENT RATS

1 The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of dietary sulphite supplementation on vascular responsiveness in sulphite oxidase (SO)‐deficient rats. 2 Male albino rats were divided into four groups, namely control (n = 8), sulphite‐treated (n = 8), SO‐deficient (n = 8) and sulphite‐treated SO‐deficient (n = 8) groups. Sulphite oxidase deficiency was induced by administration of a low‐molybdenum diet with concurrent addition of 200 p.p.m. tungsten in the form of sodium tungstate in the drinking water for 9 weeks. Sulphite, in the form of sodium metabisulphite (Na2O5S2; 25 mg/kg) was given in the drinking water to sulphite‐treated and sulphite‐treated SO‐deficient groups for the last 6 weeks. The vascular responsiveness of isolated aortic rings to acetylcholine (ACh), sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and histamine was investigated in organ baths. 3 The responsiveness of aortic rings to SNP and histamine did not differ significantly between groups. Conversely, there was a significant decrease in ACh‐induced relaxation in aortic rings from the sulphite‐treated SO‐deficient group compared with the control group (pD2 6.2 ± 0.3 and 7.5 ± 0.1, respectively; P < 0.05). Incubation of aortic rings in the presence of either l‐arginine or superoxide dismutase significantly improved the ACh‐induced vasorelaxation in sulphite‐treated SO‐deficient group (pD2 7.2 ± 0.3 and 7.4 ± 0.3, respectively). 4 The findings of the present study suggest that the increased production of reactive oxygen species and the resultant increment in l‐arginine/nitric oxideconsumption may play a role in the reduced endothelium‐dependent vasorelaxation in sulphite‐treated SO‐deficient rats.
Ganglion cell losses underlying visual field defects from experimental glaucoma.

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between ganglion cell losses and visual field defects caused by glaucoma. METHODS Behavioral perimetry and histology data were obtained from 10 rhesus monkeys with unilateral experimental glaucoma that was induced by argon laser treatments to their trabecular meshwork. After significant visual field defects had developed, the retinas were collected for histologic analysis. The ganglion cells were counted by light microscopy in cresyl violet-stained retina sections, and the percentage of ganglion cell loss (treated to control eye counts) was compared with the depth of visual field defect (treated to control eye thresholds) at corresponding retinal and perimetry test locations. Sensitivity losses as a function of ganglion cell losses were analyzed for Goldmann III, white and Goldmann V, and short- and long-wavelength perimetry test stimuli. RESULTS The relationship between the proportional losses of ganglion cells and visual sensitivity, measured with either white or colored stimuli, was nonlinear. With white stimuli, the visual sensitivity losses were relatively constant (approximately 6 dB) for ganglion cell losses of less than 30% to 50%, and then with greater amounts of cell loss the visual defects were more systematically related to ganglion cell loss (approximately 0.42 dB/percent cell loss). The forms of the neural-sensitivity relationships for visual defects measured with short- or long-wavelength perimetry stimuli were similar when the visual thresholds were normalized to compensate for differences in expected normal thresholds for white and colored perimetry stimuli. CONCLUSIONS Current perimetry regimens with either white or monochromatic stimuli do not provide a useful estimate of ganglion cell loss until a substantial proportion have died. The variance in ganglion cell loss is large for mild defects that would be diagnostic of early glaucoma and for visual field locations near the fovea where sensitivity losses occur relatively late in the disease process. The neural-sensitivity relationships were essentially identical for both white and monochromatic test stimuli, and it therefore seems unlikely that the higher sensitivity for detecting glaucoma with monochromatic stimuli is based on the size-dependent susceptibility of ganglion cells to injury from glaucoma.
Determinants of Corporate Dividend Capture

This paper uses ex-dividend day returns to show that corporate dividend capture in utility stocks depends upon transaction costs, the three month treasury bill rate, unsystematic risk and dividend yield. The paper finds that the data do not support the same determinants for dividend capture in non-utility stocks. Tests on data from before and after the Tax Reform Act of 1986 do not show conclusively that the Tax Reform Act reduced the prevalence of dividend capture. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd 1998.
Centrifugal forces and collective decision‐making: The case of the Dutch cabinet*

In political science the field of cabinet decision-making is still largely terra incognita, and there is no theoretical framework to help us interpret the available material in a meaningful way. As a first step, this article suggests that cabinet decision-making is structured by two sources of disagreement: the departments headed by the cabinet ministers, and the parties or factions these ministers represent. After a brief overview of different combinations of departmental and political heterogeneity in different countries, the Dutch cabinet is examined in more detail. It is characterized by strong departmental heterogeneity and more recently by political heterogeneity as well. Various attempts to contain these centrifugal forces - recognition of the cabinet, a strong position for the Prime Minister and for the Minister of Finance, cabinet committees, and an Inner Cabinet - have not been successful. This could be because political and departmental heterogeneity are mutually reinforcing. However, there is also some evidence that, in the Dutch case at least, these centrifugal forces are counterbalancing, or even completely unrelated to each other.
Measuring innovation culture in organizations

Purpose – Academic and practitioner interest has focused on innovation as a method of competitive differentiation and as a way to create customer value. However, less attention has been devoted to developing a measure of innovation culture. The purpose of this paper is to develop an empirically‐based comprehensive instrument for measuring an organization's innovation culture.Design/methodology – This paper describes a procedure which explicates the innovation culture construct, and proposes a multi‐item measure of innovation culture predicated on exploratory factor analysis. These descriptors were derived from extant literature, key informant interviews, and a survey of over 282 employees from the financial services industry.Findings – Findings suggest that an innovation culture scale may best be represented through a structure that consists of seven factors identified as innovation propensity, organizational constituency, organizational learning, creativity and empowerment, market orientation, value orie.
Autonomy and Self-Determination Theory in Different Contexts: A Comparison of Middle School Science Teachers' Motivation and Instruction in China and the United States.

ROBERTSON, LAURA ELIZABETH. Autonomy and Self-Determination Theory in Different Contexts: A Comparison of Middle School Science Teachers' Motivation and Instruction in China and the United States. (Under the direction of Dr. M. Gail Jones.) This study examined factors that contribute to Chinese and United States middle school science teachers‘ perceptions of autonomy support. Autonomy is one component of self-determination theory and has been associated with intrinsic motivation. The study used a mixed methods design including quantitative data collected through an online survey and qualitative data collected through open-ended interview questions. The online survey consisted of four assessments related to teachers‘ selfdetermination, perceptions of constraints at work, perceptions of students‘ self-determination, and level of autonomy support for students and allowed for the testing of the structural model developed by Pelletier, Seguin-Levesque, and Legault (2002). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of responses for the combined teacher sample (n = 201) was carried out for each of the survey assessments. Significance testing for Chinese (n = 107) and U.S. (n = 94) teachers, based on the factors resulting from EFA, revealed significant differences in teachers‘ selfdetermination and perceptions of constraints at work. No significant differences were found for teachers‘ perceptions of students‘ self-determination or level of autonomy support for students. Multiple regression was used to predict teachers‘ autonomy support for students. For the Chinese teachers, perceptions of constraints at work, teachers‘ self-determination, and teachers‘ perceptions of student motivation were found to significantly predict teachers‘
Seasonality and Consumption-Based Asset Pricing

Most of the evidence on consumption-based asset pricing is based on seasonally adjusted consumption data. The consumption-based models have not worked well for explaining asset returns, but with seasonally adjusted data there are reasons to expect spurious rejections of the models. This paper examines asset pricing models using not seasonally adjusted aggregate consumption data. The authors find evidence against models with time-separable preferences, even when the models incorporate seasonality and allow seasonal heteroskedasticity. A model that uses not seasonally adjusted consumption data and nonseparable preferences with seasonal effects works better according to several criteria. The parameter estimates imply a form of seasonal habit persistence in aggregate consumption expenditures. Copyright 1992 by American Finance Association.
The Implementation of Total Quality Management in Small and Medium‐sized Manufacturing Companies

Presents the results of a study which examines the implementation of Total Quality Management in small and medium‐sized manufacturing companies. The study is based on personal, structured interviews with the senior manager responsible for quality in 30 manufacturing companies in the Sheffield area. Identifies five major components of TQM and assesses the performance of the companies relative to these components. Examines the attitudes and perception of TQM within the companies and makes recommendations for further research work.
Brown recluse spider.

Until the 1950s the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, was ignored or unknown to the general public in the United States. As early as 1929, a Kansas physician, Dr. L.R. Schmaus, published a case report in the Journal of the American Medical Association describing the bite of a spider identified as Loxosceles. In 1947, a Puerto Rican scientist described the bite of Loxoceles laeta, a South American relative of our brown recluse. The occasional occurrence of a necrotic skin lesion prompted a study by Missouri physicians and scientists at the University of Missouri in 1957. These studies revealed that the bite of the brown recluse caused the large, slow-healing open sore referred to as necrotic spiderbite, necrotic arachnoidism (=loxoscelism), or gangrenous spot mentioned in medical literature as early as 1872. In recent years more information on the recluse became available to the public because of research at universities and other institutions in Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Arkansas, and Georgia.
Expression of the Bacillus subtilis sulphonate–sulphur utilization genes is regulated at the levels of transcription initiation and termination

The Bacillus subtilis ssuBACD gene cluster is required for the utilization of aliphatic sulphonates as sulphur sources. The regulation of expression of the ssu genes was studied in constructs carrying chromosomal transcriptional fusions of the ssu promoter region to lacZ. When sulphate or cystine served as sulphur sources, expression of the ssu genes was repressed. A putative terminator located between the promoter and the start of the ssuB gene partially overlaps a putative antiterminator. Removal of both the antiterminator and the terminator led to a decrease in the repression ratio of about 10‐fold, but not to constitutive expression. Replacement of the ssu promoter by the Pspac promoter led to decreased expression of the ssu genes, but not to loss of repression by sulphate and cystine. Thus, the repression exerted by sulphate and cystine resulted from regulation at the level of both transcription initiation and transcription termination. O‐acetyl‐l‐serine, a precursor of cysteine, served as effector molecule in both regulation systems.
Second National Integrated Micronutrient Survey in Iran: Study Design and Preliminary Findings.

BACKGROUND The main objective of the Second National Integrated Micronutrient Survey (NIMS-II) was to assess the nutritional status of four micronutrients, namely iron, zinc, and vitamins A and D, and also to conduct an anthropometric assessment of selected groups of children, adolescents, pregnant women, and adults, disaggregated by sex and residential area in nationally representative samples. This paper reports the design of the study along with preliminary findings. METHODS In this study, 32 770 individuals were selected by using single-stage cluster sampling. Venous blood samples were collected on site for laboratory analysis; interviews were conducted, and anthropometric measurements were performed. RESULTS The prevalence of anemia was highest (17.1%) among 15- to 23-month-old children; vitamin A deficiency was 18.3% in this age group. As regards iron deficiency anemia, the prevalence in all age/sex groups was less than 5%, ranging from 0.5% in 6-year-old children to 4.2% in 15- to 23-month-old children. Zinc and vitamin D deficiencies were highest among pregnant women (8% and 85.3%, respectively). Finally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults was 40.3% and 29.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION Results of this study can help in designing nutritional intervention programs for nationwide implementation. Of all micronutrient deficiencies, vitamin D deficiency was the most prevalent in all study groups. Thus, appropriate actions should be taken in our community.