Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A core value model for implementing total quality management in small organisations

Total quality management (TQM) has been recognised and used during the last decades by organisations all over the world to develop a quality focus and improve organisational performance. In spite of this, TQM implementation is still problematic for many organisations. In this perspective important factors to succeed with the organisational change that TQM implementation implies will be discussed in this paper. Also presented is a multiple‐case study of TQM implementation processes in small organisations with a focus on core value aspects. An overarching implementation model is presented based on the multiple‐case study analysis and the theoretical frame. This model implies that TQM implementation will start with core values committed leadership, everybody’s commitment and customer orientation.
Adoption of ISO 9000 quality assurance standards by South African agribusiness firms

A postal survey was conducted in 1998 among 92 South African agribusiness firms to establish the extent of adoption of the ISO 9000 quality assurance standards, reasons for certification, and the costs and benefits of adopting these standards. Almost 36% of respondent firms were ISO 9000 certified. The desire to improve customer service, a basis for quality improvement, and the need to improve operational efficiency (reduce wastage) were the most important factors influencing certification. Respondents reported financial, managerial, and production benefits following certification. Two-group and three-group discriminant analyses were performed. Results revealed that ISO 9000 certified firms tended to be larger, established firms with parent company affiliation, manufacturing products derived from agricultural output and exporting to developed countries. Most non-ISO 9000 certified firms had adopted an alternative quality assurance system. The most important variable distinguishing ISO 9000 adopters from adopters of alternative quality assurance systems was turnover (firm size). lEcon-Lit citations: L100, L150, L200r © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Outcome-based education – the ostrich, the peacock and the beaver

Significant progress has been made with the move to outcome-based education (OBE) in medicine and learning outcomes are on today's agenda. Learning outcomes have been specified in a number of areas and frameworks or models for communicating and presenting learning outcomes have been described. OBE has, however, two requirements. The first is to make the learning outcomes explicit and the second is the use of the specified outcomes as a basis for decisions about the curriculum. It is the second requirement that is often ignored. Three patterns of behaviour have been identified – the ‘ostriches’ who ignore the move to OBE believing it to be a passing fad or irrelevance, the ‘peacocks’ who display, sometimes ostentatiously, a specified set of outcomes but stop there and the ‘beavers’ who, having prepared their set of learning outcomes, use this as a basis for curriculum related decisions. An OBE implementation inventory is described that allows schools to assess their level of adoption of an OBE approach in their institution. Schools can use this to rate their level of OBE adoption on a five point scale on nine dimensions – a statement of learning outcomes, communication with staff/students about the outcomes, the educational strategies adopted, the learning opportunities available, the course content, student progression through the course, assessment of students, the educational environment and student selection. A profile for OBE implementation can be prepared for the institution.
Critical evaluation of project-based performance management: Change intervention integration

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to evaluate project-based management in the context of interventions to initiate improved organisation performance. Design/methodology/approach - The work draws on literature from project management, change management (CM) and performance management. Findings - Results identify the interrelated aspects of project management, CM, and performance management. Conclusions indicate that improved organizational performance and increased productivity would be achieved by adopting an integrative approach to project-based interventions. Research limitations/implications - Further research into specific integrated techniques and tools for delivering change would be valuable with particular focus on technical contributions to CM. Moreover, the PM field could gain from utilising CM processes in implementation of projects. Practical implications - Whilst a number of theories of CM are widely accepted, literature suggests they are falling short of their endeavours as a result of the theories lacking a useful framework to successfully plan, implement and manage change. Social implications - The rapidly changing business environment has required organisations to seek out effective processes, tools and techniques to implement successful change. Whilst there is a significant body of literature surrounding CM, the high failure rate of change interventions suggests improvements could be made to its management, monitoring and control. The analytical focus of this research was in how the common and most utilised CM models could be improved with PM processes, in order to appropriately deliver successful change. Originality/value - This article critically argues the value of project-based management in the CM process, with particular focus on the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBoK). As such, change interventions to bring about improved organizational performance can be considered a project; as such, a new approach to project-based change interventions is proposed.
Performance Analysis of a Maximum-Likelihood FFH/MFSK Receiver with Partial-Band-Noise Jamming over Frequency-Selective Fading Channels

A maximum-likelihood (ML) receiver is proposed for a fast frequency-hopping M-ary frequency-shift-keying system. The effects of frequency-selective Rayleigh-fading channels, partial-band-noise jamming, and additive white Gaussian noise are considered. It is shown that side information on the noise variance, the jamming variance, as well as the power levels of the correlated paths, is required to implement the ML receiver. Analytical bit-error rate expressions are derived for the ML receiver. Our analysis also shows that there exists an optimum diversity order under certain channel conditions.
Returns on large stock price declines and increases in the South African stock market: a note on market efficiency

This study tests for underreaction and overreaction in the South African stock market by examining abnormal returns on the stocks included in the FTSE Group Johannesburg Stock Exchange Top 40 index following large price rises and drops. The results of our empirical investigation suggest that large price increases and declines are likely to be followed by positive market returns. In addition, for the post-2008 time period the risk of these stocks increases significantly for up to two years following the original event. Therefore, the results lend further support to the Uncertain Information Hypothesis.
Geographic Ancestry and Mortality from Ischemic Heart Disease: Evidence from the Finnish Population Register

This paper uses the Finnish longitudinal population register to study mortality risks from ischemic heart disease (IHD) for people aged 65–79 years in the period 1981–2004. In spite of substantial reductions in IHD mortality over time, regional differences within Finland have remained practically the same. Having controlled for a number of significant socio-demographic factors, we find geographic ancestry as proxied by people’s birth region and ethnic group to be a strong predictor of IHD mortality. This interrelation is further confirmed by observing death rates in Finns who live abroad. Reasons behind the mortality variation should be sought in circumstances that operate before or at early childhood. In light of recent advances in medical and genetic research, and the population development of Finland, there are strong reasons to believe that patterns observed in these large-scale population data reflect geographic clustering of genetic susceptibility for IHD.
Measurement of Higher-Order Family Dimensions across Self-Report and Behavioral Observational Methods

This study used a community sample of 192 intact families to examine two issues related to conceptualization and measurement of family functioning. First, a confirmatory factor model supported the adequacy of using dyadic-level self-report measures (e.g., mother-child, child-father) to identify three family level constructs of Family Affect, Family Control, and Family Shared Activity. Second, data derived from behavioral observations during dyadic interactions identified two factors, Family Positivity and Family Negativity. Correlations among the self-report and behavioral observation factors indicated high Family Positivity was significantly associated with higher Family Affect and lower Family Control, and Family Negativity was significantly associated with lower Family Affect and with lower Family Shared Activity. Findings are discussed in terms of limitations and directions for research.
A Novel In Vitro Human Granuloma Model of Sarcoidosis and Latent Tuberculosis Infection

Abstract Many aspects of pathogenic granuloma formation are poorly understood, requiring new relevant laboratory models that represent the complexity (genetics and diversity) of human disease. To address this need, we developed an in vitro model of granuloma formation using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients with active sarcoidosis, latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI), or normal healthy control subjects. PBMCs were incubated for 7 days with uncoated polystyrene beads or beads coated with purified protein derivative (PPD) or human serum albumin. In response to PPD‐coated beads, PBMCs from donors with sarcoidosis and LTBI formed robust multicellular aggregates resembling granulomas, displaying a typical T‐helper cell type 1 immune response, as assessed by cytokine analyses. In contrast, minimal PBMC aggregation occurred when control PBMCs were incubated with PPD‐coated beads, whereas the response to uncoated beads was negligible in all groups. Sarcoidosis PBMCs responded to human serum albumin‐coated beads with modest cellular aggregation and inflammatory cytokine release. Whereas the granuloma‐like aggregates formed in response to PPD‐coated beads were similar for sarcoidosis and LTBI, molecular profiles differed significantly. mRNA expression patterns revealed distinct pathways engaged in early granuloma formation in sarcoidosis and LTBI, and they resemble molecular patterns reported in diseased human tissues. This novel in vitro human granuloma model is proposed as a tool to investigate mechanisms of early granuloma formation and for preclinical drug discovery research of human granulomatous disorders. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials. gov (NCT01857401).
Does the REIT Stock Market Resemble the General Stock Market

Gyourko and Keim (1993) point out that the continued growth of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) market depends critically on the stock market's ability to provide fair and accurate valuations of real estate. Given the recent surge of REIT initial public offerings (more than $15 billion in the 1993-1994 period), it is important to know whether the stock market provides the REIT market with the same level of information dissemination, monitoring activities, and pricing mechanisms as that for other stocks. This study demonstrates that, when compared with the general stock market, REIT stocks tend to have a smaller turnover ratio, a lower level of institutional investor participation, and are followed by fewer security analysts. Furthermore, the level of financial analysts coverage and stock turnover intensity are higher when the REIT stock market is "hot. " The lack of attention from financial analysts and institutional investors in the REIT stock market may have some implications for the well-documented anomalous REIT stock performance.
The Value Impact of New Residential Construction and Neighborhood Disinvestment on Residential Sales Price

The topic of neighborhood redevelopment is central to residential appraisal and the lending process. We examine both the effect of neighborhood upgrading and decline, captured by subsidized new residential construction and sustained property tax delinquency respectively, on the sales price of one-to-two family homes. The research uses a two stage hedonic price model of 12,100 individual residential sales in Cleveland, Ohio during 1992-94. Results show a significant positive effect of $670 on the sales price of existing housing for each new unit built in a one-to-two block area. A decrease in sales price of $778 is associated with a 1% increase in the tax delinquency rate. The spatial variability of these effects is also explored.
The role of accounting in the twenty-first century firm†

I explore the evolving role of accounting information in allocating capital. Accounting arose to control conflicts of interest in organizations (stewardship role). The industrial revolution spawned capital-intensive firms and public capital markets with dispersed shareholders to finance these firms. The regulation of these public capital markets shifted the role of accounting toward providing investors with information for making informed investment decisions (valuation role). With the advent of the semiconductor and global competition, emerging and public firms today differ from their predecessors in fundamental ways. Exploiting the information technologies created by the semiconductor, twenty-first century firms are now more knowledge based, have more intangible assets, are more reliant on their employees’ human capital, confront increased competition, and face diverse conflicts of interests and hence different challenges accessing capital than their forerunners. Responding to the demands of twenty-first century firms, private-equity (PE) markets provide a bundled service – capital and governance. To supply this bundle, PE firms require accounting information to control the conflicts of interest both within the PE firm (between the general and limited partners) and within their investees. Controlling these conflicts shifts the role of accounting back toward its original stewardship roots. The valuation role remains important, but there is little to value unless the conflicts of interest are first mitigated.
Accountants and Small Firm Development: Filling the Expectation Gap

As a supplier of rzecessaty expertise, the professional accountantis in a potentially strong position to influence the small business.Previous research indicates, howevec that the injluence of theaccountant on the performance of the smallfirm is limited. Thispaper examines the relationship between small firms and theaccountancy profession in the North East of international. It is basedon two surveys of 31 small businesses and 33 accountancypractices. It reveals a mismatch in the expectations of the twogroups- and argues that if the accountancy profession is to fulfilits potential in assisting small firms develop and improve theirmanagement capability, changes are required in the wayaccountancy services are marketed and provided.
Co-morbidity of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an outpatient Turkish sample

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of bipolar disorder (BPD) in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to compare the clinical characteristics of a group with ADHD with a group with co-morbidity of ADHD and BPD. The study includes 121 individuals, aged 6–16 years, with a diagnosis of ADHD. Co-morbidity of BPD was evaluated using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) and the Parent-Young Mania Rating Scale (P-YMRS). The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess psychopathology in two groups. Ten children (8.3%) in the ADHD sample received the additional diagnosis of BPD. The ADHD + BPD group had significantly higher scores than the ADHD group on withdrawn, anxiety/depression, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, aggression, externalization, total score items of CBCL, and on the P-YMRS. It could be concluded that BPD is not a rare co-morbid condition in children with diagnosis of ADHD and subjects with this co-morbidity show more severe psychopathology than subjects with pure ADHD. Differential diagnosis of BPD disorder in subjects with ADHD seems crucial in establishing an effective treatment program, and therefore improving mental health outcomes.
Τesting Convergence and Divergence: The Data from Greece

The convergence hypothesis is a popular tenet in modern discussions in macroeconomics and regional economics. It derives from the very fundamental properties of the neoclassical single-sector growth model, and its assumption of diminishing returns to scale. Following this theoretical framework a number of empirical tests (σ or unconditional β or conditional β-convergence) has been developed. This paper tests unconditional and conditional β-convergence for the Greek economy. Three issues are being considered: (i)if there is regional convergence, (ii) if there is a North-Southern divide, (iii) if Greece is converging with the other economies taking part in the European integration project. Our empirical results reject the convergence hypothesis in all cases. These findings, together with similar findings for many other economies, pose significant problems for the theoretical assumptions of the neoclassical growth model with exogenous technical change.
Reliability of measurements of muscle strength and voluntary activation using twitch interpolation

We investigated the reproducibility of measurements of maximal voluntary torque and maximal voluntary activation using twitch interpolation. On 5 days, each of 5 subjects performed 10 maximal voluntary isometric contractions of their elbow flexors. Single supramaximal stimuli were delivered over biceps brachii at the measured peak torque during each effort, and in the relaxed muscle 5 s later. A voluntary activation score was calculated from the size of twitches evoked by the stimuli (resolution < 0.15 Nm). Although all subjects were able to drive the stimulated elbow flexor muscles maximally in some trials, they did not do so in 75% of all contractions. Maximal voluntary torques did not vary significantly within a subject between sessions. There were consistent differences in the level of maximal voluntary activation between subjects (P < 0.01), but no differences in voluntary activation within an individual across days in 4 of 5 subjects. Failure to drive the stimulated elbow flexor muscles maximally was not associated with inadvertent co‐contraction of the antagonist muscles. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
What Does Nasdaq's High-Yield Bond Market Reveal About Bondholder-Stockholder Conflicts?

We use data from Nasdaq’s FIPS system for reporting transactions in selected high-yield corporate bonds to investigate the relationship between the returns on a firm’s stock and the returns on its publicly traded, high-yield debt. Regression models and analysis of the behavior of the returns around events associated with agency conflict show that the returns follow complex patterns of similarity and divergence. Positive co-movement is the dominant form of the relationship, but opposite movement of the bond and stock returns around those events indicates agency conflicts between bondholders and stockholders.We use data from Nasdaq’s FIPS system for reporting transactions in selected high-yield corporate bonds to investigate the relationship between the returns on a firm’s stock and the returns on its publicly traded, high-yield debt. Regression models and analysis of the behavior of the returns around events associated with agency conflict show that the returns follow complex patterns of similarity and divergence. Positive co-movement is the dominant form of the relationship, but opposite movement of the bond and stock returns around those events indicates agency conflicts between bondholders and stockholders.
The economic and social impact of tourism

This paper analyzes the economic and social impact of tourism in Pagsanjan in which tourism development project is located. Results show that the project’s various significant impacts include increases in employment and income and stimulation of political and women’s participation. While its impact on environment and on the people’s social life has been a mixture of positive and negative results, its impact on income distribution has been trifling. To maximize the tourism multiplier, the paper encourages the collaboration of the tourism project with other programs devised to boost the capacity of the local economy. Tourism manpower training agenda should include training for women skills while tourism promotions should move from sex-oriented markets to prevent several disorientations in the cultural values of the tourism industries.
Does Aid Help Improve Economic Institutions?

Aid is expected to promote better living standards by raising investment and growth. But aid may also affect institutions directly. In theory, these effects may or may not work in the same direction as those on investment. The authors examine the effect of aid on economic institutions and find that aid has neither a positive nor a negative impact on existing measures of economic institutions. They find the results using pooled data for non-overlapping five-year periods, confirmed by pooled annual regressions for a large panel of countries and by pure cross-section regressions. The authors explicitly allow for time invariant effects that are country specific and find the results to be robust to model specifications, estimation methods, and different data sets.
ANTIBODIES SPECIFIC FOR RIBONUCLEOSIDES AND RIBONUCLEOTIDES AND THEIR REACTION WITH DNA.

c or reduced phenazine methosulfate coupled with the reduction of ubiquinone. We wish to report now that chromatophores from aerobically grown R. spheroides, strain Ga, sensitize these reactions efficiently (with quantum requirements of a few quanta per electron transfer), whereas chromatophores from the nonphotosynthetic mutant strain PM-8 are entirely unable to drive these photochemical processes. The failure of strain PM-8 to catalyze the photooxidation of reduced phenazine methosulfate is the more remarkable because this reaction is sensitized by purified bacteriochlorophyll in vitro. These findings show that the major component of bacteriochlorophyll is inert with respect to the foregoing light-induced activities, and that a special kind of reaction center is needed for the photochemistry that leads to photosynthesis. The results of experiments with exogenous reagents will be published in detail elsewhere.
Creating policy alternatives using stakeholder values

Choices that require multiple stakeholders to balance conflicting objectives are among today's most controversial decisions. Although many techniques exist for helping decision makers to select among projects, little attention has been given to processes for identifying improved alternatives based on clearly articulated stakeholder values. In this paper we describe a general process to inform controversial social decisions by first structuring stakeholder objectives and then using this information to create policy alternatives. We also report the results of a workshop in Sabah, Malaysia which used the proposed approach as the basis for multiple stakeholder negotiations.