Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate social responsibility and earnings management: A literature review

This paper provides insight to whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and earnings management are connected. Based on the agency- and stewardship theory the author conducts a literature review and evaluates the empirical results with regard to the CSR-earnings management and the earnings management-CSR link. In this context, CSR reporting and CSR performance are focused as CSR measures. The results of the 33 studies indicate that the majority of the research relies on the CSR-earnings management link, on the US-American capital market and on CSR performance measures. Most of these studies indicate that CSR relates to decreased earnings management in line with the stewardship theory. However, also other results exist on the CSR earnings management link. Research on the earnings management-CSR relationship is of low validity so far in view of the low amount. Comparability of recent research on that topic is in particular limited in view of the heterogeneous CSR and earnings management variables and the endogeneity concerns. Future research is encouraged to address endogeneity tests, include country-specific effects and increase the validity of CSR and earnings management variables. As CSR performance and reporting can have a major impact on earnings quality, the author recommends firms to search for opportunities to make their CSR activities more comprehensive by expanding their CSR reporting and thus providing deeper insights on their CSR performance in line with stakeholders’ interests. The paper is the first literature review on the CSR-earnings management and earnings management-CSR relationship so far. The author explains the main CSR and earnings management variables that have been included in prior empirical research, stresses the limitations of the studies and gives useful recommendations for future research, practice and regulators
Zero-hours Contracts in a Frictional Labor Market

We propose a model to evaluate the U.K.’s zero-hours contract (ZHC) – a contract that exempts employers from the requirement to provide any minimum working hours, and allows workers to decline any workload. We find quantitatively mixed welfare effects of ZHCs. On one hand they unlock job creation among firms that face highly volatile business conditions and increase labor force participation of individuals who prefer flexible work schedules. On the other hand, the use of ZHCs by less volatile firms, where jobs are otherwise viable under regular contracts, reduces welfare and likely explains negative employee reactions to this contract.
The nature of self-employment towards retirement: necessity or opportunity? Revealed preference evidence from an unemployment insurance reform in the Netherlands

This paper analyzes labor market dynamics of persons aged 50-63 in the Netherlands during the period 1989-2009. More explicitly, the paper analyzes state dependence and mobility between self-employment, paid-employment, unemployment (UI), and other non-employment using a dynamic multinomial logit model with unobserved heterogeneity. The paper focuses on substitution between self-employment and unemployment and exploits an exogenous age-specific UI reform in 2004 to analyze whether self-employment before retirement is chosen out of necessity or opportunity. The results provide evidence that at the end of people’s working life necessity plays a larger role in the choice for self-employment than the opportunity to reduce working hours gradually. JEL codes: H55, J14 and J26
The Impact of Change Management on ERP System Outcomes: A Case of Jordanian Pharmaceutical Companies

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of change management dimensions (top management support, enterprise communication, organizational culture, and training and education) on ERP system outcomes (productivity improvement and decision-making improvement) in the Jordanian pharmaceutical companies. To achieve the objective of the study a questionnaire consisted of (46) items was built, and its validity and consistency were verified. The study was conducted on a sample of (200) employees working in five major companies in the Jordanian pharmaceutical sector: Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Pharma International Co. and United Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co., Philadelphia Pharmaceuticals Co. and Amman Pharma Industries. Data was analyzed using regression analysis. The results of the study indicated that the four dimensions of change management have a significant positive impact on the two outcomes of ERP system application.
The effect of diverse nitrogen sources in the nutrient medium on the growth of the green microalgae Chromochloris zofingiensis in the batch culture

The effect of three nitrogen (N) sources in the nutrient medium – sodium nitrate (NaNO3), urea (CO(NH2)2), and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) – on the morphological and physiological characteristics of the green microalga Chromochloris (Chlorella) zofingiensis, a potential commercial producer of lipids and a ketocarotenoid astaxanthin, was studied. The alga was batch-cultivated in glass conical flasks from starting cell density (n) around 2.3·106 per mL and dry weight (DW) content of 0.06 g·L−1 in all variants at 120 μmol·m−2·s−1 PAR, +20…+21 °C, and air bubbling at a rate of 0.3 L·min−1·L−1. The concentration of nitrogen sources (as elemental N) in the modified BBM nutrient medium was 8.83 mmol·L−1, the cultivation duration was 17 days. The dynamics of n and cell volumes, DW content, chlorophylls a and b (Chla and Chlb), total carotenoids (Car), and lipids (Lip) in the cultures, concentration of N sources in the nutrient medium, and its pH were recorded. It was shown that the growth rate, size distribution of the cell populations, and the biomass chemical composition depended significantly on the nitrogen source in the nutrient medium. Using NH4Cl as N source caused on the second day growth inhibition, cell swelling, aggregation, and discoloration; by the seventh day, it caused culture crash. C. zofingiensis cells took up NaNO3 and CO(NH2)2 from the medium at a similar rate (0.626 and 0.631 mmol N·L−1·day−1, respectively), but the growth of the culture fed with CO(NH2)2 lagged; its cell volume and Chla, Chlb, and total Car contents declined profoundly. The average dry matter productivity (PDW) in the culture grown on CO(NH2)2 [(0.086 ± 0.004) g·L−1·day−1] was 32.6 % lower than in the culture grown on NaNO3 [(0.114 ± 0.005) g·L−1·day−1]. At the same time, lipid productivity (PLip) of the urea-fed culture was comparable with that of the nitrate-fed culture (PLip of 28 and 26 mg·L−1·day−1, respectively). The lipid DW percentage of the former exceeded significantly that of the nitrate-fed culture (31.6 % vs 23.1 %, respectively). From the standpoint of profitability, the lag in biomass accumulation recorded in the urea-fed culture on PDW is not critical since it is compensated by lowering the cost of nitrogen source for the nutrient medium (approximately by 230 %) and a higher biomass lipid content. C. zofingiensis grown in media with urea as the only N source deserves further investigation.
Repurchase Intentions toward Trendy Clothing Fashion in Muslim Communities: The Role of Social Influence, Brand Attachment and Perceived Value

Received: 04 June 2018 Accepted: 22 June 2018 Abstract. Expressing the Muslim identity and faith through clothing and wearing culturally permissible yet trendy fashion is increasingly becoming challenging for the individuals belonging to the Muslim communities. Therefore, the repurchase intentions of such individuals are being influenced by many factors. This study investigates the psychological process by which social agents with the religion and cultural mindset influence the individuals’ brand attachment and customers’ perceived value to develop the repurchase intentions in the clothing fashion industry. A conceptual model based on the relevant literature is proposed to understand the influence of different factors. The study was conducted in Gujrat (Pakistan) in the apparel sectors. The mixed sampling approach was adopted. Data from 524 respondents were collected by using self-administrated questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed by employing two-step Structural Equation Model (SEM) to assess the impact of the above mentioned factors on Repurchase Intentions. The findings revealed that the brand attachment and customers’ perceived value regarding apparel purchasing in religiously dominating society are strongly influenced by the social influences (which are created and monitored by the religion). Considering the findings, it can be concluded that repurchase intentions of Muslim customers can be strengthened and re-shaped through enhancing the social influence by the social agents (e.g., religion) in particularly clothing fashion industry of Pakistan. Furthermore, creating an emotional bond of consumer attachment and value perception with social and religious approval of a particular brand leads to strengthening the repurchase intentions of Muslim customers and loyalty of the apparel brand.
Phantom Assessment of Unshielded Magnetocardiography Repeatability, Precision and Accuracy in Electric Sources Localization

Background: Pre-interventional knowledge of arrhythmogenic substrate location may reduce interventional time and arrhythmias ablation risks. Magnetocardiographic Mapping (MCG) is a contactless method for noninvasive localization of intracardiac sources used for Three-Dimensional (3D) Electro-Anatomical Imaging (EAI) of arrhythmogenic substrates. The aim of this study was to assess the repeatability, precision, and accuracy of MCG in localizing dipolar sources in an unshielded environment. Methods: The phantom consisted of a rectangular plastic box filled with 0.9% NaCl saline solution. Multiple artificial current dipoles (6 mm length, 10 mA, 50 Hz) were induced with two a magnetic electro-catheters. The distance between two dipoles was constant. 30 seconds MCG recordings (bandwidth DC-200 Hz, 1 KHz sampling rate) were performed with 36 DC-SQUID sensors at distances between Sensors plane and Dipole Sources (SSD) decreasing from 18 to 9 cm. MCG localization was assessed by inverse solution based on the Equivalent Magnetic Dipole (EMD) model. Orthogonal fluoroscopic imaging, employing lead markers to correct for x-ray divergence effect, was used to define the 3D physical relative position of each dipole. MCG repeatability, precision and accuracy were evaluated. The correlation between precision, Goodness of Fit (GOF) of the EMD model and SSD was also analyzed. Results: Overall, optimal repeatability (Coefficient of Variation ± Standard Error of the Mean = 0.79 ± 0.43%, 3D absolute error = 0.26 ± 0.25 cm), average localization precision (1.13 ± 0.42 cm) and average accuracy (0.2 ± 0.13 cm) were found. Localization precision improved (0.87 ± 0.3 cm) with GOF of the model increasing above 73% and SSD lower than 14 cm. Conclusion: Contactless MCG provides optimal precision and accuracy in localizing dipolar sources, even when performed in an unshielded environment. By integrating source localization into cardiac 3D imaging by cardiac magnetic resonance, MCG is foreseen to provide both pre-interventional and intraoperative 3D-EAI of arrhythmogenic substrates.
The interrelation between disability and work and t he role of health shocks and childhood circumstances

In this paper we focus on the interrelation between disability and work, the role of health shocks and how this relationship varies with socio-economic background and health during (early) childhood and early adulthood. We use accid ents that lead to an unscheduled hospital visit as a measure for a health shock and exploit the una nticipated nature of this health shock to assess its causal effect on disability and subsequent empl oyment outcomes. We construct an event history model and estimate the parameters of this m odel on data from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS). Our empirical results sho w that after controlling for observed and unobserved heterogeneity employed individuals are m ore likely to get a health shock. Health shocks increase the rate at which individuals becom non-working and disabled. Background variables like father’s socio-economic status and t est scores greatly influence the probability of experiencing a disability and getting out of work. The effect of a disadvantaged childhood is mainly through an strong effect on disability and e mployment transition rates after that the individuals have entered the labor market and not o the employment and disability status just after leaving full-time education. a Free University Amsterdam, Tinbergen Institute, HE B, IZA, Netspar. b Free University Amsterdam & Tinbergen Institute. c Free University Amsterdam, Tinbergen Institute, Sc holar & CEPR. Address: Department of Economics, Free University A msterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: mlindeboom@econ.vu. nl , allenanozal@econ.vu. nl , klaauw@tinbergen.nl .
Effect of Public Sector and SOEs on Wage Inequality of Urban China: 1988-2007

This paper examines the effect of public sector and SOEs on the wage inequality of urban China by using CHIPs data. It applies quantile regressions, Machado and Mata (2005) decomposition and the extension of it to single out respectively the factors representing the change of wage structure and employment shares of the public sector and SOEs that affect urban wage inequality. The econometric results show that after the radical SOEs reform aimed at solving over-manning and improving efficiency in the late 1990s, the wage premium to the public sector and SOEs (versus non-state sector) grows much larger, and the change of the wage structure of public sector and SOEs causes the enlargement of urban wage inequality.
Evaluating RL Agents in Hanabi with Unseen Partners

Hanabi is a cooperative game that challenges existing AI techniques due to its focus on modeling the mental states of other players to interpret and predict their behavior. While there are agents that can achieve near-perfect scores in the game by agreeing on some shared strategy, comparatively little progress has been made in ad-hoc cooperation settings, where partners and strategies are not known in advance. In this paper, we show that agents trained through self-play us-ing the popular Rainbow DQN architecture fail to cooperate well with simple rule-based agents that were not seen during training and, conversely, when these agents are trained to play with any individual rule-based agent, or even a mix of these agents, they fail to achieve good self-play scores.
Morphology and speleogenesis of Okshola, Fauske, northern Norway: example of a multi-stage network cave in a glacial landscape

Maze, or labyrinth, caves are high-porosity zones in karst. Reticular networks may arise through different speleogenetic processes. Here, we present and discuss an apparently multi-stage labyrinthal development in a stripe karst setting in the Norwegian Caledonides. Okshola (the upper part of the Okshola-Kristihola cave system at Fauske, Nordland) displays a network of preserved, essentially phreatic tubes intersected by four distinct, vadose inlet passages. The cave developed along a low-angle fracture (thrust) zone, which is sub-parallel with the foliation. Scallops in the walls of phreatic conduits demonstrate that water flow was directed down-dip into the rock mass, and thus that the phreatic network developed during the last active stage as a groundwater recharge zone. This flow function is consistent with the proximal location of the cave with respect to former topographically directed glacial flow. Cyclic and strong fluctuations in the hydraulic regime are evident from cave interior deposits. We suggest that Okshola developed in concert with the glacial erosion of the surface topography and that a process of caprock stripping resulted in progressive lowering of both sink and spring levels. Morphology, together with radiometric datings, indicate that speleogenesis commenced several glacial cycles ago.
Hebammenpräsenz und Qualität der Betreuung bei Klinikgeburten in Berlin: Ergebnisse einer Online-Befragung von Müttern

Background and study aim: Studies have shown that 1:1 care by a midwife during labour has a positive effect on the health of mothers Verena Stengel Theda Borde and children. Against a background of constraints in the capacity for midwifery care in Berlin hospitals, the point of view of mothers on the presence of midwives and quality of care was examined retrospectively in this study. 1 Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology Methods: The presence of midwives sub partu and the rating of the extent of care (as a quality measure for care) were recorded by mothers (IBE), Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany who gave birth in Berlin in the years 2016/17 by means of a semi2 Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Germany quantitative online questionnaire. The responses of 567 mothers with spontaneous onset of labour who received standard care were analysed using descriptive methods, χ-Tests and a binary logistic regression. Results: 55% (n=311) of the respondents indicated that the self-rated presence of a midwife was ≤50% of the time from admission to the labour ward until birth. These mothers rated the extent of care as too little far more often than mothers who experienced constant midwifery presence (50% midwifery presence: OR 3.41 [CI 1.95-7.82], <50% midwifery presence: OR 8.95 [CI 4.52-18.86], p<0.001). The longer the midwife was present during labour, the more positive the rating of care. Discussion: Midwifery presence was less and satisfaction with the quality of care were found to be inferior in comparison to previous studies in German hospitals. The perceived presence of the midwife is an essential feature for mothers’ satisfaction with care received during labour. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the existence of a problem in the provision of midwifery care in Berlin. Further studies including mothers’ perspectives on the presence of a midwife during labour are necessary.
Fertility and Labor Supply∗

The child penalty is widely regarded as a main driver of the gender wage gap. We provide new evidence that challenges this conception. We combine an event study framework with instrumental variables (IV) using the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Norway as instruments. We find that the endogeneity of fertility timing introduces omitted variable bias in a regular event study, while delayed fertility and intensive margin fertility responses lead to bias in regular IV estimates based on IVF treatments. Our joint approach addresses these issues by centering on the age of child rather than time since IVF, and by instrumenting first and second births. The resulting estimates show that (i) fertility has a short-lived negative effect on earnings that disappears after two years; (ii) effects are similar for the extensive and intensive margin of fertility; and (iii) partners are shielded from any negative effects.
Unbundling financial services: The case of brokerage and investment research

Brokers were previously allowed to provide brokerage and financial research as a single package, but unbundling rules recently introduced in Europe now oblige them to charge separately for the two services. To analyze the effect of this regulation, we consider a theoretical duopoly model between a broker who offers a brokerage service and an investment research service and an independent analyst who offers a second investment research service. We show that unbundling rules increase the profitability and market share of the independent analyst and improve social welfare. These findings suggest that unbundling rules are relevant to the sustainability of the independent research industry.
JAG: Joint Assessment and Grading

Test-taking (assessment) and grading are commonly treated as two separate processes and performed by two different groups of people. Recently, the boundaries between test-taking and grading have started to blur. Peer-grading , for example, leverages student knowledge and effort to grade other students’ answers. Despite the considerable success of peer-grading in massive open online courses (MOOCs), the process of test-taking and grading are still treated as two distinct tasks which typically occur at different times, and require an additional overhead of grader training and incentivization. In order to overcome the drawbacks of peer-grading, we propose joint assessment and grading (JAG) , a novel approach that fuses test-taking and grading into a single, streamlined process that appears to students in the form of an explicit test, but where everyone also acts as an implicit grader. We demonstrate the effectiveness and limits of JAG via simulations and a real-world user study.
Pump-and-dump or news? Stock market manipulation on social media

Social media can help investors gathering and sharing information about stock markets but also presents opportunities for fraudsters to send false or misleading statements to the marketplace. Analyzing millions of messages sent on the social media Twitter about securities traded in OTC markets, we find that an abnormally high message activity on social media is associated with a large price increase on the event day, followed by a sharp price reversal over the next week. Our results are consistent with a pump-and-dump scheme, where fraudsters use social media to temporarily inflate the price of small capitalization stocks. To disentangle an overoptimism effect due to the presence of noise traders from an illegal pump-and-dump scheme, we investigate social interactions between users through the use of network theory. We identify several clusters of users with suspicious online activity (stock promoters, fake accounts, automatic postings), favoring the manipulation/promotion hypothesis over the behavioral hypothesis.
REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY EFFECTS ON CANADIAN REGIONAL PAY-RATE PERfORMANCE *

A substantial number of studies on Canadian regional income disparities have been based on the relative contribu tions of indus­ try and of regional effects on pay-rates [1; 6; 7; 8; 101. These Canadian studies have used the theoretically faulty standardiza­ tion technique devised by Kuznets [14 ] and Hanna [11] to pro­ duce empirical estimates of the relative contributions of these two effects. This lack of theoretical validity of the method arises because it attempts to measure regional effects on regional pay­ rates by imposing national average pay-rates of industries on a specifie region's indus trial structure; in a general equilibrium set­ ting these imposed pay-rates cannot be in consistent production, and therefore consumption, equilibrium with the existing indus­ trial structure of the region. Similarly, the method attempts to measure structural effects on regional pay-rates by imposing the nation's industrial structure on a specifie region's industrial pay­ rates; again this imposed indus trial structure cannot be in consist ­ ent production, and therefore consumption, equilibrium with the existant indus trial pay-rates of the region. The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical method of accurately estimating these independent effects on Canadian re­ gional income levels, and of estimating interaction effects between region and industry on pay-rate performance.