Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Strategic investment decision making: the influence of pre-decision control mechanisms

Purpose - This paper seeks to explore how aspects of pre-decision control mechanisms impact managerial decision-making behaviour with regard to strategic investment projects. Design/methodology/approach - This study adopted a mixed-method research approach. Research evidence was collected using a questionnaire survey of 320 large UK companies and eight semi-structured follow-up interviews with financial directors who responded to the questionnaire. Findings - The study offers insights into the use and impact of pre-decision control mechanisms such as: organizational strategy and operating objectives; expectations regarding the involvement of organizational personnel; formal approval procedures; financial evaluation requirements; pre-determined hurdle rates; established authorization levels and the influence of managerial intuition. Originality/value - This study adds to prior understandings of capital investment practice by employing mixed methods to examine how pre-decision controls shape the outcomes of strategic investment decision making. Pre-decision controls have received little attention within the prior literature, which focuses primarily on project financial analysis.
Poor Outcome of a Defunctioning Stoma after Pouch Construction for Ulcerative Colitis

Background: Restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis can have complications necessitating a later defunctioning ileostomy with uncertain outcome. This analysis was undertaken to assess the outcome in patients needing a later defunctioning ileostomy after pouch construction in patients with ulcerative colitis. Method: The notes of our series of 154 patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis were reviewed and 28 patients identified who needed a later defunctioning ileostomy to deal with complications. Results: A later defunctioning ileostomy was necessary in 28 patients to deal with the following complications: sepsis in 11 patients (5 pouches failed), fistulas in 7 (5 pouches failed), poor function including ileoanal stenosis in 5 (all 5 failed), postoperative intraabdominal bleeding in 2 (both saved), pouchitis in 2 (1 excised) and small bowel obstruction in 1 (saved). 16 pouches were eventually excised or permanently defunctioned (59%). Conclusion: Complications necessitating a later defunctioning stoma after pouch construction carry a poor prognosis, especially when used for ileoanal stenosis and fistulae.
COMPUTING POWER INDICES FOR LARGE VOTING GAMES: A NEW ALGORITHM

Voting Power Indices enable the analysis of the distribution of power in a legislature or voting body which uses weighted voting. Although the approach, based on co-operative game theory, has been known for a long time it has not been very widely applied, in part because of the difficulty of computing the indices when there are many players. This paper presents new algorithms for the classical power indices which have been shown to work well in real applications.
Transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells as compared with bone marrow from HLA-identical siblings in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE Several studies show that allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) engraft more rapidly than bone marrow (BM). However, the data are inconsistent with regard to acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse, transplant-related mortality (TRM), and leukemia-free survival (LFS). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between January 1994 and December 2000, 3,465 adult patients (older than 15 years of age) were reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry from 224 centers. Among acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, 1,537 patients received BM and 757 patients received PBSC. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, the corresponding figures were 826 versus 345 patients who were analyzed for engraftment, GVHD, TRM, relapse, LFS, and survival. RESULTS In multivariate analysis, the recovery of neutrophils and platelets was faster with PBSC than with BM (P <.0001). Chronic GVHD was associated with PBSC in patients with AML (relative risk [RR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.66 to 2.7; P <.0001) and ALL (RR, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 2.27; P =.02). PBSC versus BM in patients with AML or ALL was not significantly associated with acute GVHD, TRM, relapse, survival, or LFS. In multivariate analysis of patients with AML, factors significantly associated with improved LFS included first remission at transplant (P <.0001), promyelocytic leukemia (M3) versus other French-American-British types (P <.0001), and donor age below median 37 years (P =.02). In patients with ALL, first remission (P <.0001) and methotrexate included in the immunosuppressive regimen (P =.001) were associated with improved LFS. CONCLUSION Allogeneic PBSC results in faster neutrophil and platelet engraftment and a higher incidence of chronic GVHD than BM. However, acute GVHD, TRM, relapse, survival, and LFS were similar in patients receiving PBSCs versus BM.
Fast Algorithms to Generate Individualized Designs for the Mixed Logit Choice Model

The mixed logit choice model has become the common standard to analyze transport behavior. Moreover, more and more transport studies start to make use of stated preference data to obtain precise knowledge on travelers’ preferences. Accounting for the individual-specific coefficients in the mixed logit choice model, this research advocates an individualized design approach to generate these stated choice experiments. Individualized designs are sequentially generated for each person separately, using the answers from previous choice sets to select the next best set in a survey. In this way they are adapted to the specific preferences of an individual and therefore more efficient than an aggregate design. In order for individual sequential designs to be practicable, the speed of designing an additional choice set in an experiment is obviously a key issue. This paper introduces three design criteria used in optimal test design, based on Kullback–Leibler information, and compares them with the well known D-efficiency criterion to obtain individually adapted choice designs for the mixed logit choice model. Being equally efficient to D-efficiency and at the same time much faster, the Kullback–Leibler criteria are well suited for the design of individualized choice experiments.
Australian Government Failure and the Green Loans Program

Since the 2007 federal election, the Australian government has implemented numerous new programs, many with dual economic and environmental objectives. A significant number of these initiatives have not only proved unsuccessful, but have also been criticized for their implementation and subsequent management. Using the conceptual prisms offered by the literature on decentralization, augmented by the government failure paradigm, this article considers the aborted Green Loans Program, which commenced in July 2009 with the aim of encouraging water and energy efficiency in existing homes through financial assistance for investment in water and energy-efficient technologies.
Estimating the uncertainty of relative risk aversion

This note reports estimates of the coefficient of relative risk aversion, using a method recently proposed by Azar (2006). In contrast to his work, the complete information of US stock return data over the period 1926 to 2002 is utilized. Moreover, a bootstrap procedure is applied to estimate the associated uncertainty. Point estimates close to 3.5 are obtained. However, ranging from 1.4 to 7.1, the 95% confidence interval is wide.
A comparative study of supervised learning techniques for data-driven haptic simulation

This paper focuses on the choice of a supervised learning algorithm and possible data preprocessing in the domain of data-driven haptic simulation. This is done through a comparison of the performance of different supervised learning techniques with and without data preprocessing. The simulation of haptic interactions with deformable objects using data-driven methods has emerged as an alternative to parametric methods. The accuracy of the simulation depends on the empirical data and the learning method. Several methods were suggested in the literature and here we provide a comparison between their performance and applicability to this domain. We selected four examples to be compared: singular learning mechanism which is artificial neural networks (ANN), attribute selection followed by ANN learning process, ensemble of multiple learning techniques, and attribute selection followed by the learning ensemble. These methods performance was compared in the domain of simulating multiple interactions with a deformable object with nonlinear material behavior.
Oxytocin enhances clearance of radiocolloid from the uterine lumen of reproductively normal mares and mares susceptible to endometritis.

The effects of oxytocin on the percentage of technetium 99m albumin colloid (99mTc-microAA), cleared from the uterine lumen was measured in 13 mares. Scintigraphy was performed during 4 consecutive oestrous cycles, on Day 3 of oestrus during Cycles one and 3 and 48 h after ovulation during Cycles 2 and 4. Oxytocin (20 iu) was given i.v. after the initial scintigraphy image during Cycles 3 and 4. Seven multiparous mares (Group 1) were classified as 'susceptible' and 6 mares (2 nulliparous and 4 multiparous; Group 2) were classified as 'resistant' to endometritis. All mares cleared > 90% of 99mTc-microAA within 30 min of oxytocin injection. When no drug was given, Group 1 mares cleared negligible amounts of radiocolloid (< 5%) and Group 2 mares cleared 50-80%. No mares showed signs of colic after oxytocin administration. It is concluded that oxytocin enhances uterine clearance of radiocolloid and may be useful for treating mares exhibiting impaired uterine clearance.
Organizational Behavior: A Management Challenge

A true learning tool for students and scholars alike; the third edition of Organizational Behavior: A Management Challenge has been designed to effectively present an overview of the challenges facing managers and employees in today's competitive organizations.The latest research in organizational behavior has been interwoven with real-life cases and practical applications to provide a highly accessible text for advanced undergraduate and MBA students of management and psychology.To reflect the evolving challenges of today's organizations, this text contains expanded coverage of new technologies and global businesses and brings the sophisticated world into the classroom. A new chapter on Inclusion has also been added.
Bank Runs in the Free Banking Period

Free banks in the United States issued private banknotes without discretionary restriction of entry. Previous research suggests explanations for noteholders' relatively large losses and the substantial number of banks that closed. The authors examine these hypotheses and the hypothesis that contagious runs were important. The evidence provides no support for the importance of wildcat banking due to par versus market valuation of bond reserves; episodic, but not general, support for the importance of declining bond prices; and support for contagion effects and contemporaries' knowledge of them with little or no impact on the number of banks that closed. Copyright 1994 by Ohio State University Press.
Market Segmentation for Mobile TV Content on Public Transportation by Integrating Innovation Adoption Model and Lifestyle Theory

An integrated approach based on innovation adoption model and lifestyle theory for customer segmentation of mobile TV content on public transportation using multivariate statistical analysis is proposed. Due to high daily trips and dif-ferent train types Taiwan Railway Administration is chosen as the case study. Firstly, the content of mobile TV on the train are identified as the segmentation variable and key factor facets for mobile TV content are renamed by using fac-tor analysis. Then, the cluster analysis is used to classify customer groups which are named by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and market segmentations are described with demographic, lifestyle and train patronage variables by using cross analysis and Chi-squared independence tests. Finally, this paper discusses empirical results to provide valuable implications for better mobile TV content marketing strategies in the future.
No more discount under enhanced fair value hierarchy

We use an integrated approach to analyse the reasons behind the discount on the balance-sheet fair value of illiquid financial instruments held by European banks and classified into the Level 3 Fair Value hierarchy under IFRS 7. We believe that the potential sources of misalignment are (1) the lack of disclosure, (2) earnings management, and (3) the lack of liquidity. We show that the discount implicit in market values is linked to the lack of mandatory additional disclosure required by IFRS 7 and that this result supports the strong enforcement activity made by national authorities.
On Inverse Utility and Third-Order Effects in the Economics of Uncertainty

We prove that the coefficient of absolute prudence is greater than k - times coefficient of absolute risk aversion for the utility function if and only if the coefficient of absolute prudence is (3-k) times the coefficient of absolute risk aversion for the inverse utility function. Moreover this is also equivalent to (k-2)-concavity of the first derivative of the inverse utility function.
The Market Value of R&D in Emerging Economies: Evidence from India

Abstract We revisit the relationship between market value and innovation in the context of manufacturing firms in a developing country, using data for Indian firms from 2001 through 2010. Surprisingly, we find that financial markets value the R&D investment of Indian firms the same or higher than it values such investment in developed economies such as the United States and European countries, suggesting some degree of underinvestment. The paper explores the use of a proxy for the option value of R&D and finds that this can account for a very small part of the R&D valuation (about 10 %). We also find that the market value–R&D relationship does not vary significantly across industry groups, although these results are rather imprecise.
A Sex Comparison of Increments in FOS Immunoreactivity in Forebrain Neurons of Gonadectomized, Testosterone-Treated Rats After Mounting an Estrous Female

The protein product of the immediate-early gene, c-fos, was visualized immunocytochemically in forebrain neurons of gonadectomized male and female rats which were injected daily with testosterone propionate (TP) and either tested for mounting directed toward a sexually receptive female or left alone in a test arena. Lidocaine anesthetic paste was applied to the genital region of all subjects in an attempt to reduce the incidence of intromissive behavior patterns. In this way we hoped to compare the relative contribution in the two sexes of vomeronasal/olfactory, as opposed to genital/somatosensory, stimuli to mounting-induced forebrain Fos immunoreactivity (FOS-IR). Males displayed high levels of mounting, with very few intromissions; females displayed a similar level of mounting coupled with a significantly higher number of intromissive behavior patterns than males. Significant increments in the number of FOS-IR neurons were seen in the medial amygdala (mAMYG) and medial preoptic area (mPOA) of males and females killed 1 h after testing. In experiment 2, ovariectomized, TP-treated females were given a unilateral lesion of the olfactory peduncle and subsequently tested with an estrous female as in Experiment 1. Unilateral lesions significantly reduced the number of FOS-IR neurons counted in the ipsilateral piriform (primary olfactory) cortex, but failed to attenuate the ability of stimuli associated with mounting an estrous female to augment FOS-IR in ipsilateral mAMYG or mPOA neurons. The results suggest that vomeronasal/olfactory stimuli were primary determinants of the mounting-induced increments in neuronal FOS-IR observed in males, whereas in females a combination of genital/somatosensory and olfactory/vomeronasal stimuli account for the observed induction of forebrain FOS-IR.
Spontaneous Remembering after Recall Failure

Verbal free recall of lists of 20 items increased on repeated recall attempts, without any further presentation of each word after it had been recalled just once. Such restricted presentation resulted in long-term storage and retention of almost all 20 items, as shown by their eventual spontaneous retrieval without further presentation. Most items that failed to be recalled were retrieved again later without any further presentation, indicating that such failures represent retrieval failures rather than loss from storage and that free recall verbal learning requires retrieval from long-term storage.
Applicability of global value chains analysis to tourism: issues of governance and upgrading

Tourism firms are increasingly integrated in value chains that often operate across many different countries. As a result, the concepts and the methodology of the global value chains begin to be applied to the tourism industry. This paper aims to explore the applicability of this methodological approach for a specific service industry, such as tourism. It pays particular attention to the impact of different patterns of governance within global tourism value chains on the possible forms of upgrading. First, a set of regional case studies carried out on this subject leads us to identify the main patterns of governance in the Andalusian tourism industry. Secondly, an empirical analysis allows us to consider in which way upgrading can vary according to the governance patterns.
Markets and development

This Keynote Address gives a high-level overview of the issues of social and economic development facing the region. Markets have played a significant role in advancing economic and social development in developing Asia, in terms of structural transformation as economies move from agrarian and small scale economies. Structure and forms of markets also have evolved. Asia’s agriculture and food systems revolution is one of the most illustrative examples. Moving ahead, a continuing strategic concern is about making markets work in the public policy interest of inclusive and sustainable growth.
Special Treatment and Policy Space for the Developing Economies in the Multilateral Trade Regime

The contemporary multilateral trading system comprises members ranging from high- to very low-income countries; this range has a bearing on the operations of the multilateral trade regime. Presence of a large number of low-income members is the new systemic reality. Special and differential treatment (SDT) has operated for the developing economies, principally for the small, low-income ones, for many decades. The concept of SDT grew in three basic stages, on which this article elaborates. Theoretically this concept was meaningful and significant, but in reality it has not engendered substantial benefits to the intended beneficiary groups, the developing economies. The Uruguay and the Doha Rounds of multilateral trade negotiations (MTNs) reaffirmed faith in SDT. The Doha Development Agenda (DDA) was clear about reaffirming the importance of SDT to the multilateral trade regime and referred to it as an integral part of the WTO Agreement. During the Fifth Ministerial Conference in Cancun and the subsequent WTO meeting in Geneva in July 2004, small developing countries held together as the Group-of-Ninety (G-90). They made their presence felt in the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference as well. As SDT has not spawned large benefits for the target groups of countries, there is a pressing need to refine the concept. Academics and policy makers have debated over what future shape SDT should take so that it will be able to meet the expected goals. Taking these concerns into account, this article presents a comprehensive set of recommendations.
Estimating the Effect of Cumulative Occupational Asbestos Exposure on Time to Lung Cancer Mortality: Using Structural Nested Failure-Time Models to Account for Healthy-Worker Survivor Bias

Background: Previous estimates of the effect of occupational asbestos on lung cancer mortality have been obtained by using methods that are subject to the healthy-worker survivor bias. G-estimation of a structural nested model provides consistent exposure effect estimates under this bias. Methods: We estimated the effect of cumulative asbestos exposure on lung cancer mortality in a cohort comprising 2564 textile factory workers who were followed from January 1940 to December 2001. Results: At entry, median age was 23 years, with 42% of the cohort being women and 20% nonwhite. During the follow-up period, 15% of person-years were classified as occurring while employed and 13% as occupationally exposed to asbestos. For a 100 fiber-year/ml increase in cumulative asbestos, a Weibull model adjusting for sex, race, birth year, baseline exposure, and age at study entry yielded a survival time ratio of 0.88 (95% confidence interval = 0.83 to 0.93). Further adjustment for work status yielded no practical change. The corresponding survival time ratio obtained using g-estimation of a structural nested model was 0.57 (0.33 to 0.96). Conclusions: Accounting for the healthy-worker survivor bias resulted in a 35% stronger effect estimate. However, this estimate was considerably less precise. When healthy-worker survivor bias is suspected, methods that account for it should be used.
National and Regional-Level Human-Environment (Ecosystems) Interactions: Some Empirical Evidence from China

The state of human-environment (ecosystems) interactions—ecosystems (land cover classes), population, biodiversity hotspots and protected status—is examined in the eastern coastal zones, the eastern region, the middle region, the western region and the whole of China. The analysis is based on consistent, comprehensive, geo-referenced and recent datasets and advanced analytical Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A comparative national and regional priority ranking of the provinces was conducted using the total score of eight indicators, for the four dimensions of human-environment (ecosystems) interaction. Using, these ranks, all the provinces were grouped in low, high and medium priority provinces. The comparative ranking and categorization of provinces will be useful for designing policies and management operations for spatially-differential scientific planning and management of environment (ecosystems) at the regional and national levels in China.
Economic and Environmental Effectiveness of a Technology-Based Protocol

This Paper provides a first applied game theory analysis of a technology-based climate protocol by assessing: (i) the self-enforcement (namely, the absence of incentives to free ride) of the coalition that would form when countries negotiate on climate-related technological cooperation; (ii) the environmental effectiveness of a technology-based climate protocol. The analysis is carried out using a model in which endogenous and induced technical changes are explicitly modelled and in which international technological spillovers are also quantified. The results of our analysis partly support Barrett’s and Benedick’s conjecture. On the one hand, a self-enforcing agreement is more likely to emerge when countries cooperate on environmental technological innovation and diffusion than when they cooperate on emission abatement. Technological cooperation – without any commitment to emission control – may not lead to a sufficient abatement of greenhouse gas concentrations, however.