Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Discrimination and Firm Profit Efficiency:Evidence from Brazil

In this study, we investigated discrimination against women within the Brazilian labor market using firm-level data and considering the proportion of female employees as a proxy for the extent of discrimination. Estimating the profit efficiency of firms using data envelopment analysis, and regressing it on the proportion of female employees and other firm characteristics, we found that the proportion of female employees is positively correlated with firm profit efficiency. Our finding indicates that firms employing a high proportion of female workers incur a lower labor cost while producing the same level of output compared to firms employing a low proportion of female employees, and provide strong evidence of the existence of discrimination against female employees within the Brazilian labor market.
Causal Ambiguity, Cultural Integration, and Partner Attractiveness as Determinants of Knowledge Transfer: Evidence from Finnish Acquisitions

This study aims to explain knowledge transfer in acquisitions by examining the impact of causal ambiguity of knowledge, partner attractiveness and organisational cultural integration (convergence and crossvergence). We test our model on quantitative data from domestic and international acquisitions conducted by Finnish companies. The results provide evidence for a negative influence of causal ambiguity and for a positive impact of partner attractiveness and organisational cultural integration. The findings also show that causal ambiguity can moderate the effects of partner attractiveness and organisational cultural integration.
Assessing and Enhancing the Impact of Cotesia plutellae in Management of Diamondback Moth Plutella xylostella on Kale Brassica Oleracea var. acephala in Semi-Arid Areas of Kenya

Diamondback moth (DBM, Plutella xylostella L.) is a major pest of crucifers which can cause yield losses of up to 100% if left unmanaged. Classical biological control of DBM was adopted in Machakos and Kitui County through Cotesia plutellae imported from South Africa in 2002 and released in March 2004 in farmers’ fields where kale Brassica Oleracea var. acephala is one of the major leafy vegetables. Preliminary studies in 2004-2006 showed that the parasitoid had not established in the release sites and augmentation releases were done in 2006. Monthly surveys were conducted (May 2012 to April 2013) to assess the spread and contribution of C. plutellae in the management of the DBM. Brassica oleracea var. acephala fields in twenty five randomly selected farms were sampled for number of DBM larvae and pupae, damage, parasitism and parasitoid guild. The data was recorded from 20 plants in each selected farm. The DBM larvae and pupae were placed in plastic containers and taken to the laboratory for DBM or parasitoid emergence. Results revealed that the mean number of DBM/plant in Kitui and Matuu ranged from 0.4 to 2.5 and 0.3 to 3.5, respectively. Mean damage score ranged from 1.2 to 1.6 in both regions, which was positively correlated to the number of DBM on B. oleracea var. acephala . Hymenopteran parasitoids recovered from DBM included Cotesia plutellae , Diadegma semiclausum , D. mollipla, A panteles sp. , Chelonus sp. , Oomyzus sokolowskii and Itoplectis sp . , while the hyper parasitoids included Mesochorus sp. , Pteromalus sp. , Notanisomorphella sp. , Eurytoma rosae and Eurytoma sp. , Brachymeria sp. and Pediobius sp. Cotesia plutellae was the most abundant parasitoid followed by D. semiclausum . Diversity of parasitoids varied between months and study sites. Cotesia plutellae had established and spread beyond the release sites contributing between 40 and 90% parasitism while the indigenous parasitoids Itoplectis sp. , Apanteles sp. , and D. mollipla contributed less than 5% parasitism. The results show the spread and establishment of C. plutellae in the study sites. In conclusion, there is need for continuous training and educating the farmers to conserve the parasitoids that have contributed in the reduction of the DBM and damage on the crop. This has contributed in the reduction on pesticides use, spraying regime and eventual reduction of cost of production and residues on the produce.
Associations of Herbicides on the Simultaneous Control of Horseweed and Italian Ryegrass

Weed competition negatively affects grain yield on wheat and soybean crops. Due to better practicality and timesaving it is usual the association of broadleaf herbicides with graminicides to control monocot and dicot weeds. However, little is known about the deleterious effects of broadleaf herbicides on graminicides. Thus, the objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of simple, double and triple association of broadleaf herbicides with graminicides to control of Italian ryegrass and horseweed. The experiment was conducted into greenhouse on completely randomized experimental design with four replications. The treatments consisted of the graminicides clethodim and clodinafop; the broadleaf herbicides 2,4-D, metsulfuron and saflufenacil and non-selective glyphosate, sprayed isolated and in double and triple association to be compared with a control. The variables evaluated were control (%) at 21 and 28 days after treatments (DAT), and dry weight (g) at 28 DAT. The isolated graminicides and the broadleaf herbicides controlled both Italian ryegrass and horseweed respectively. At the double association of broadleaf with graminicides herbicides, 2,4-D antagonized the effect of clodinafop, and glyphosate mixed with clodinafop decreased the control of the graminicide on Italian ryegrass. At the triple herbicide association, when mixed with glyphosate, metsulfuron decreased the control effect of Italian ryegrass by clethodim. The association of broadleaf herbicides with graminicides is effective on the control of monocot and dicot weeds, but it depends on which herbicide used for the combination. When it is evident the antagonism between broadleaf herbicides and graminicides, the detrimental effects go on grass control.
Psychometric properties of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey: a cross-sectional study in a large sample of Belgian psychiatric nurses

Rational, aims and objectives: The complex situation of care giving during the nursing and accompaniment of psychiatric patients often results in ethical problems and dilemmas for the caregivers involved. The ethical climate on a ward is crucial for addressing these problems and dilemmas. To date, there has been no instrument for assessing the ethical climate on a psychiatric ward. The present study is the first study of ethical climate in a psychiatric hospital. It was investigated whether the only existing instrument that measures the ethical climate in general hospitals, the ‘Hospital Ethical Climate Survey’, is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the ethical climate on psychiatric wards. Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in a large psychiatric inpatient setting in Belgium. All 320 nurses were invited to participate, 265 of them completed the survey, giving a response rate of 83%. The factor structure of the HECS was examined through explorative Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and the reliability of the constructed scale and subscales were investigated. Results: Five factors were identified, which were largely identical compared to the factor structure obtained with the original instrument and its underlying theoretical basis. Items related to different allied healthcare professions were added, which expanded the subscale ‘relationship with physician’ to ‘relationship with other disciplines’ (medical and allied healthcare workers). Conclusion: The reliability of the instrument was good and comparable with reliability scores from earlier research. The investigated setting has a significantly higher main score for ethical climate, compared to previous studies.
Hybrid response to pathogen infection in interspecific crosses between two amphibian species (Anura: Ranidae)

Interspecific hybridization can affect fitness-related traits, such as response to pathogens. Few experimental studies have directly addressed the effects of pathogens on host fitness in hybrid zones, particularly in animal systems. I used a system of hybridizing leopard frogs to test for differences in response to disease as a function of genetic admixture. I raised F1 hybrid and parental genotypes between Rana blairi (plains leopard frog) and Rana sphenocephala (southern leopard frog) in replicated experimental tanks, and tested the effect of an emergent amphibian pathogen, chytrid fungi (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), on larval growth and development. Chytrid did not have a significant effect on larval survival for any genotype. Chytrids reduced body mass at metamorphosis and increased duration of the larval period for all genotypes. F1 hybrids experienced smaller metamorphic body masses and longer larval periods than both parental genotypes, but only in chytrid environments. Significantly, more F1 hybrids were infected than either parental species. These results indicate that interspecific hybridization may produce relatively fit hybrid genotypes in pathogen-free conditions, but hybrids suffer decreased performance in the presence of chytrids. Such results suggest that hybridization between divergent amphibian lineages may produce hybrid genotypes with a reduced ability to cope with emergent pathogens.
Do predaceous stoneflies and siltation affect the structure of stream insect communities colonizing enclosures

Experiments in Colorado and New York streams assessed the effects of predaceous stoneflies on benthic invertebrate community establishment in enclosures providing uncolonized habitat. Aspects of prey community structure measured were density, species richness, relative species abundance, and body size. Unexpected inorganic sediment deposition allowed evaluation of direct effects on Colorado stream benthos and indirect effects on predation. Predaceous perlids and perlodids consistently reduced the density and, therefore, rate of prey community establishment in enclosures. Although New York perlids disproportionately reduced densities of some prey species, Colorado stoneflies caused nonsignificant declines in individual prey species densities, the composite effect of which was a significant whole-community response. Predators did not affect prey species richness nor change the taxonomic composition (species additions or deletions) of communities colonizing enclosures. However, the relative abundance of prey.
Asymmetry in Cross-Conflic t Collaboration: Is The re a Gender Factor?

Asymmetry of power is an acknowledged phenomenon in negotiation, and there are a number of devices for dealing with it. Similarly, alternative dispute resolution seeks to neutralize asymmetry of power by using an interest-based model of cross-conflict collaboration, but research has indicated that asymmetry persists nonetheless. The role of gender in negotiation has been researched, and to a far lesser degree, also with regard to alternative dispute resolution. Some of the gender in negotiation research has introduced the element of asymmetry of power as well. Prompted by the highlighting of asymmetry in Israeli-Palestinian all-women alternative dispute resolution (cross-conflict collaboration), the present article seeks to determine the role of gender, comparing asymmetry in mixed groups with all-women’s groups. A qualitative analysis, based on observations over decades of personal experience, finds only differences of degree rather than essence between predominantly-male mixed and all-women’s groups regarding the effects of asymmetry. The major exception to this lies in the centrality accorded the phenomenon by women but not by men, possibly attributable to gender differences in group relations and also the feminist character of the all-female groups. Abstract Asymmetry of power is an acknowledged phenomenon in negotiation, and there are a number of devices for dealing with it. Similarly, alternative dispute resolution seeks to neutralize asymmetry of power by using an interest-based model of cross-conflict collaboration, but research has indicated that asymmetry persists nonetheless. The role of gender in negotiation has been researched, and to a far lesser degree, also with regard to alternative dispute resolution. Some of the gender in negotiation research has introduced the element of asymmetry of power as well. Prompted by the highlighting of asymmetry in Israeli-Palestinian all-women alternative dispute resolution (cross-conflict collaboration), the present article seeks to determine the role of gender, comparing asymmetry in mixed groups with all-women’s groups. A qualitative analysis, based on observations over decades of personal experience, finds only differences of degree rather than essence between predominantly-male mixed and all-women’s groups regarding the effects of asymmetry. The major exception to this lies in the centrality accorded the phenomenon by women but not by men, possibly attributable to gender differences in group relations and also the feminist character of the all-female groups.
Ambitious Entrepreneurship, High-Growth Firms, and Macroeconomic Growth

We examine the impact of ambitious entrepreneurship (entrepreneurs expecting to grow their firm) and high-growth firms (firms that have actually realized high growth rates) on subsequent macroeconomic growth in a sample of high and low-income countries, in the period 2002-2005. Our empirical evidence shows that once we control for the share of ambitious entrepreneurs the overall positive effect of entrepreneurship on macroeconomic growth disappears. Growthoriented entrepreneurship seems to contribute heavily to macroeconomic growth in both low- and high-income countries. In low-income countries, the overall positive effect of entrepreneurship on macroeconomic growth does not disappear after introducing the share of ambitious entrepreneurs into the statistical model. In contrast to ambitious entrepreneurship in nascent and young businesses, established high-growth firms do not seem to contribute to macroeconomic growth.These established high-growth firms seem to flourish in countries with high levels of entrepreneurship in general, while there appears to be no connection between the rate of high-growth firms and the share of ambitious entrepreneurs.
Understanding Chinese Consumer Behaviour Towards New Products

Prof. Hans Georg Gemünden and Dr. Sabrina Böwe for their helpful comments. The author is deeply thankful to Dr. Hongqing Sun for his support and the valuable insights into the Chinese culture. Franziska Goetze is a Research Assistant at the Department of Marketing at the Berlin Institute of Technology, Wilmersdorfer Str. 148, 10585 Berlin, Germany, Phone: ++49 30 31422682, Fax: ++49 30 31422664, E-Mail: franziska.goetze@marketingtrommsdorff.de Understanding Chinese Consumer Behaviour Towards New Products
Well-posedness and regularity for non-uniform Schrödinger and Euler-Bernoulli equations with boundary control and observation

The open-loop systems of a Schr¨odinger equation and an Euler-Bernoulli equation with variable coeﬃcients and boundary controls and collocated observations are considered. It is shown, with the help of a multiplier method on a Riemannian manifold, that both systems are well-posed in the sense of D. Salamon and regular in the sense of G. Weiss. The feed-through operators are found to be zero. The results imply particularly that the exact controlability of each open-loop system is equivalent to the exponential stability of the associated closed-loop system under the output proportional feedback.
ROOTSTOCK INFLUENCES ON SEASONAL CHANGES IN LEAF PHYSIOLOGY AND FRUIT QUALITY OF RIO RED GRAPEFRUIT VARIETY

Citrus is a conventionally produced fruit crop in extensive agricultural areas in Mediterraneantype agroecosystems. The use of rootstocks for citrus fruits is necessary for profitable production under some limiting factors, such as climactic factors, bad soil conditions, and diseases. In addition, the use of the citrus rootstocks provides a large number of choices to growers to increase fruit quality and yield, obtain early fruiting, uniform cropping and high-density planting, avoid juvenility, and control tree size. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of several citrus rootstocks on the fruit yield, quality, physiological changes in leaves and leaf mineral composition of Rio Red grapefruit. Thus, seasonal changes in the leaf chlorophyll concentration, PSII efficiency (Fv / Fm), stomatal conductance (gS), leaf temperature, leaf mineral nutrient, fruit yield and fruit quality traits of the Rio Red grapefruit variety grafted onto six commonly used rootstocks (Carrizo citrange, citremon, sour orange, Swingle citrumelo, Troyer citrange and Volkameriana) in citriculture were evaluated. The physiological responses of fully expanded young leaves to rootstocks were significantly affected by seasonal changes. Two-way ANOVA indicated significant main effects of rootstock and season and their interaction (p ≤ 0.05) on the leaf Chl concentration. Leaf Chl concentrations were lowest in April for all rootstocks. The PSII efficiency slightly decreased in the leaves of Rio Red grafted onto Volkameriana in February. The rootstocks significantly affected seasonal changes in the leaf stomatal conductance. The highest gS was recorded in October in the leaves of a Rio Red variety grafted onto the Volkameriana rootstock. Significant rootstock effects on leaf Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu concentrations were observed in the Rio Red variety. The highest leaf Zn concentration (ppm) was recorded in plants on Volkameriana, whereas the lowest Zn concentrations were recorded in plants on Troyer citrange. There were no significant rootstock effects on leaf N, P, K and Fe concentrations. The rootstocks significantly affected the fruit yield of the Rio Red variety in the 2013 and 2014 harvest years. The highest fruit yield was observed in Rio Red grafted onto Carrizo citrange in 2013, whereas it was highest in plants on Troyer citrange in 2014. The fruit weight (g), fruit diameter (mm), total soluble solids (%), juice content (%) and juice color (hue) of Rio Red grapefruit were significantly affected by the rootstocks.
Quality of Growth Empirics: Comparative Gaps, Benchmarking and Policy Syndromes

This study uses a new dataset to provide comparative gaps, benchmarking with best performers and policy syndromes of growth quality in 93 developing countries with data for the period 1990–2011. Sigma and Beta estimation strategies are used to provide between and within cross-country dispersions. The empirical evidence is based on: time, regions, income levels, resource-wealth, state fragility and time-consistent growth quality (GQ) performance. First, for ‘within dispersions’ the following outcomes are established: (1) GQ dispersions within fundamental characteristics have been decreasing over time, (2) From a time-dynamic view, countries within Asia and the Pacific have experienced the highest reduction in GQ differences while nations in the Middle East and North Africa (Central and Eastern European) region have witnessed the highest (lowest) differences, (3) From an income perspective, upper-middle-income (Low-income) countries have the lowest (highest) differences in GQ. (4) Resource-rich and Non-fragile countries have higher differences relative to their Resource-poor and Fragile counterparts respectively. Second, for ‘between dispersions’ and policy syndromes, we found two time-consistent extremities. (1) In decreasing need of policy intervention, the following are apparent for the Policy syndrome extreme: Hopeful, Fragile, Sub-Saharan African, Low-income and Resource-rich countries. (2) In the same line of policy inference, the following are apparent for the Syndrome-free extreme: Central and Eastern European, Asia and the Pacific, Latin American, Best Performing and Upper-middle-income countries. Their predispositions are clarified and policy implications discussed.
State Antitakeover Laws and Voluntary Disclosure

Abstract We test the relationship between takeover protection and voluntary disclosure in a setting of antitakeover laws in a firm’s state of incorporation. After correcting for the endogeneity of firms’ incorporation choices, we find that firms incorporated in states with more antitakeover laws have higher levels of voluntary disclosure and stock market liquidity. Further tests do not support shareholder demands being the driving force for this association. Our findings are consistent with takeover protection and poor disclosure serving as substitute mechanisms for deterring takeovers. Therefore, as antitakeover statutes mitigate takeover threats, they enhance managers’ incentives to disclose more in order to realize capital market benefits.
Patent Applying or Not Applying: What Factors Motivating Students’ Intention to Engage in Patent Activities

This study aimed to examine the roles of growth need strength and the perceived benefits of innovation as antecedent predictors of students’ intentions to participate in patent activities using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). This study compared three models that predicted business and management students’ intentions to perform patent activities. Results from structural equation modelling applied to undergraduate students supported that the effects of growth need strength and the perceived benefits of innovation influenced students’ intentions through a TPB model with the antecedents of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The research proposed model was superior to the other models and explained 74% of the variance in behavioral intentions to engage in patent activities. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Age Variations in Risk Perceptions and Smoking Decisions

The results of a numerical survey of smoking risks and behavior are analyzed. Smoking risk perceptions follow the expected patterns given age differences in risk information acquired and differences in information associated with smoking status. Risk perceptions are greater as one moves to younger age cohorts where overall lung cancer risks are substantially overestimated. These risk perceptions in turn have a negative effect on smoking decisions, where younger individuals behave no differently in terms of the manner in which they incorporate risk perceptions into their smoking decisions. Copyright 1991 by MIT Press.
Maintenance Mechanisms in Children’s Verbal Working Memory

Previous research in adults has indicated two maintenance mechanisms of verbal information in working memory, i.e., articulatory rehearsal and attentional refreshing. However, only three studies have examined their joint contribution to children’s verbal working memory. The present study aimed at extending this line of research by investigating the developmental changes occurring from 6 to 9 years old. In two experiments using complex span tasks, children of three different age groups maintained letters or words while performing a concurrent task. The opportunity for attentional refreshing was manipulated by varying the attentional demand of the concurrent task. Moreover, this task was performed either silently by pressing keys or aloud, the latter inducing a concurrent articulation. As expected, recall performance increased strongly with age. More interestingly, concurrent articulation had a detrimental effect on recall even in 6-year-old children. Similarly, introducing a concurrent attention-demanding task impaired recall performance at all ages. Finally, the effect of the availability of rehearsal and of attentional refreshing never interacted at any age. This suggested an independence of the two mechanisms in the maintenance of verbal information in children’s working memory. Implications for the development of rehearsal use and for the role of attention in working memory are discussed.