bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generalizing the Dynamic Field Theory of the A‐not‐B Error Beyond Infancy: Three‐Year‐Olds’ Delay‐ and Experience‐Dependent Location Memory Biases
Authors: Schutte Anne R. , Spencer John P.
Published: March 2003

Thelen and colleagues recently proposed a dynamic field theory (DFT) to capture the general processes that give rise to infants’ performance in the Piagetian A‐not‐B task. According to this theory, the same general processes should operate in noncanonical A‐not‐B‐type tasks with children older than 12 months. Three predictions of the DFT were tested by examining 3‐year‐olds’ location memory errors in a task with a homogeneous task space. Children pointed to remembered locations after delays of 0 s to 10 s. The spatial layout of the possible targets and the frequency with which children moved to each target was varied. As predicted by the DFT, children’s responses showed a continuous spatial drift during delays toward a longer term memory of previously moved‐to locations. Furthermore, these delay‐dependent effects were reduced when children moved to an “A” location on successive trials, and were magnified on the first trial to a nearby “B” location. Thus, the DFT generalized to capture the performance of 3‐year‐old children in a new task. In contrast to predictions of the DFT, however, 3‐year‐olds’ responses were also biased toward the midline of the task space—an effect predicted by the category adjustment (CA) model. These data suggest that young children’s spatial memory responses are affected by delay‐ and experience‐dependent processes as well as the geometric structure of the task space. Consequently, two current models of spatial memory—the DFT and the CA model—provide incomplete accounts of children’s location memory abilities.
Changes in Children’s Self‐Competence and Values: Gender and Domain Differences across Grades One through Twelve
Authors: Jacobs Janis E. , Lanza Stephanie , Osgood D. Wayne , Eccles Jacquelynne S. , Wigfield Allan
Published: March 2003

This study extended previous research on changes in children’s self‐beliefs by documenting domain‐specific growth trajectories for 761 children across grades 1 through 12 in a longitudinal study of perceptions of self‐competence and task values. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used to (1) describe changes in beliefs across childhood and adolescence within the domains of mathematics, language arts, and sports; (2) examine the impact of changes in competence beliefs on changes in values over time in the same domains; and (3) describe gender differences in mean levels and trajectories of change in competence beliefs and values. The most striking finding across all domains was that self‐perceptions of competence and subjective task values declined as children got older, although the extent and rate of decline varied across domains. For example, in language arts, competence beliefs declined rapidly during the elementary school years, but then leveled off or increased to some extent; whereas the decline in self‐competence beliefs in sports accelerated during the high school years. Significant gender differences in beliefs were found in most domains; however, the gender differences in developmental trajectories appeared to be domain specific rather than global. Importantly, the gender differences between boys and girls did not systematically increase with age, as predicted by some socialization perspectives. Adding competence beliefs as an explanatory variable to the model for task values revealed that changes in competence beliefs accounted for much of the age‐related decline in task values. In addition, competence beliefs accounted for most of the gender differences in task values for language arts and sports.
The Relation between Children's and Mothers’ Mental State Language and Theory‐of‐Mind Understanding
Authors: Ruffman Ted , Slade Lance , Crowe Elena
Published: March 2003

This study investigated the relation between mothers’ utterances and theory of mind in a longitudinal study involving three time points over 1 year. Mothers were asked to describe some pictures to 82 children at all three time points. Mothers’ use of mental state utterances in these descriptions at early time points was consistently correlated with later theory‐of‐mind understanding. This was true even when a number of potential mediators were accounted for, including children's own use of mental state language, their earlier theory‐of‐mind understanding, their language ability, their age, mothers’ education, and other types of mother utterances. Mothers’ mental state utterances seemed genuinely causal because early theory‐of‐mind ability was not related to later mother mental state utterances (i.e., it was not a reciprocal relation). Results also showed that children's desire talk preceded their talk about beliefs.
Economic Well‐Being and Children's Social Adjustment: The Role of Family Process in an Ethnically Diverse Low‐Income Sample
Authors: Mistry Rashmita S. , Vandewater Elizabeth A. , Huston Aletha C. , McLoyd Vonnie C.
Published: March 2003

Using latent variable structural equation modeling, a family economic stress model that links economic well‐being to child well‐being in an ethnically diverse, low‐income sample of 419 elementary school‐age children was evaluated. The sample was 57% African American and 28% Hispanic, and most families were headed by single mothers. The results provided support for the position that family process is a critical mediator of the effects of economic hardship on children's social adjustment. Lower levels of economic well‐being, and the corollary elevated perceptions of economic pressure indirectly affected parenting behavior through an adverse impact on parental psychological well‐being. Distressed parents reported feeling less effective and capable in disciplinary interactions with their child and were observed to be less affectionate in parent–child interactions. In turn, less than optimal parenting predicted lower teacher ratings of children's positive social behavior and higher ratings of behavior problems. Multiple‐group analyses revealed that the pathways by which economic hardship influences children's behavior appear to operate similarly for boys and girls, and for African American and Hispanic families.
Maternal Representations of the Infant: Associations with Infant Response to the Still Face
Authors: Rosenblum Katherine L. , McDonough Susan , Muzik Maria , Miller Alison , Sameroff Arnold
Published: March 2003

Mothers’ representations of their infants may influence early development of emotional self–regulation. This study examined the associations between characteristics of mothers’ (N= 100) narratives about their 7–month–old infants, maternal depression, and their infants’ affect regulation during the Still Face procedure. Findings showed that (1) mothers’ representations were linked with individual differences in their infants’ behavior across the Still Face procedure, (2) the association between mothers’ representations and their infants’ behavior was mediated by parenting behavior, and (3) mothers’ representations explained unique variance in their infants’ affect regulation beyond the contribution of maternal depression. Although infants’ displays of positive affect diminished while mothers held a still face, only infants of mothers in the balanced representation category returned to high levels of positive affect upon resuming interaction. These findings highlight the role of maternal representations in the process by which dyads repair temporary disruptions in interaction, as well as individual differences in infants’ and mothers’ responses to the Still Face.
Shedding Further Light on the Effects of Various Types and Quality of Early Child Care on Infant–Mother Attachment Relationship: The Haifa Study of Early Child Care
Authors: Sagi Abraham , Koren‐Karie Nina , Gini Motti , Ziv Yair , Joels Tirtsa
Published: March 2003

The Haifa Study of Early Child Care recruited a large–scale sample (N= 758) that represented the full SES spectrum in Israel, to examine the unique contribution of various child–care–related correlates to infant attachment. After controlling for other potential contributing variables—including mother characteristics, mother–child interaction, mother–father relationship, infant characteristics and development, and the environment—this study found that center–care, in and of itself, adversely increased the likelihood of infants developing insecure attachment to their mothers as compared with infants who were either in maternal care, individual nonparental care with a relative, individual nonparental care with a paid caregiver, or family day–care. The results suggest that it is the poor quality of center–care and the high infant–caregiver ratio that accounted for this increased level of attachment insecurity among center–care infants.
The Environment of Poverty: Multiple Stressor Exposure, Psychophysiological Stress, and Socioemotional Adjustment
Authors: Evans Gary W. , English Kimberly
Published: March 2003

The one in five children growing up in poverty in America have elevated risk for socioemotional difficulties. One contributing factor to their elevated risk may be exposure to multiple physical and psychosocial stressors. This study demonstrated that 8– to 10–year–old, low–income, rural children (N= 287) confront a wider array of multiple physical (substandard housing, noise, crowding) and psychosocial (family turmoil, early childhood separation, community violence) stressors than do their middle–income counterparts. Prior research on self–reported distress among inner–city minority children is replicated and extended among low–income, rural White children with evidence of higher levels of self– and parent–reported psychological distress, greater difficulties in self–regulatory behavior (delayed gratification), and elevated psychophysiological stress (resting blood pressure, overnight neuroendocrine hormones). Preliminary mediational analyses with cross–sectional data suggest that cumulative stressor exposure may partially account for the well–documented, elevated risk of socioemotional difficulties accompanying poverty.
Some Ways in Which Neighborhoods, Nuclear Families, Friendship Groups, and Schools Jointly Affect Changes in Early Adolescent Development
Authors: Cook Thomas D. , Herman Melissa R. , Phillips Meredith , Settersten, Jr. Richard A.
Published: March 2003

This study assessed some ways in which schools, neighborhoods, nuclear families, and friendship groups jointly contribute to positive change during early adolescence. For each context, existing theory was used to develop a multiattribute index that should promote successful development. Descriptive analyses showed that the four resulting context indices were only modestly intercorrelated at the individual student level (N = 12,398), but clustered more tightly at the school and neighborhood levels (N = 23 and 151 respectively). Only for aggregated units did knowing the developmental capacity of any one context strongly predict the corresponding capacity of the other contexts. Analyses also revealed that each context facilitated individual change in a success index that tapped into student academic performance, mental health, and social behavior. However, individual context effects were only modest in size over the 19 months studied and did not vary much by context. The joint influence of all four contexts was cumulatively large, however, and because it was generally additive in form, no constellation of contexts was identified whose total effect reliably surpassed the sum of its individual context main effects. These results suggest that achieving significant population changes in multidimensional student growth during early adolescence most likely requires both theory and interventions that are explicitly pan–contextual.
Daily Variation in Ethnic Identity, Ethnic Behaviors, and Psychological Well–Being among American Adolescents of Chinese Descent
Authors: Yip Tiffany , Fuligni Andrew J.
Published: March 2003

This study examined the links among Chinese American adolescents’ (N= 96) global ethnic identity and their ethnic behaviors, ethnic identity salience, and psychological well–being based on daily diaries collected over a 2–week period. The daily association between engagement in ethnic behaviors and ethnic salience was positive regardless of overall ethnic identity. The daily–level association between ethnic identity salience and well–being, however, was dependent on adolescents’ global ethnic identity. Among adolescents who were moderate or high in global ethnic identity, ethnic identity salience was consistently associated with positive well–being at the daily level. In contrast, the daily association between ethnic identity salience and well–being was less strong for youths who were low in ethnic identity. Additionally, a higher level of salience and a weaker association between salience and negative symptoms was found for girls than for boys, and older youths reported a weaker association between salience and positive symptoms than did younger youths.
The Influence of Racial Socialization Practices on the Cognitive and Behavioral Competence of African American Preschoolers
Authors: Caughy Margaret O’Brien , O’Campo Patricia J. , Randolph Suzanne M. , Nickerson Kim
Published: March 2003

The association between parent racial socialization and child competence was examined in a socioeconomically diverse sample of African American preschoolers living in an urban setting. Interviews were conducted in the homes of 200 families. Racial socialization was assessed by parent report as well as by observation of the sociocultural context of the home, and child outcomes were assessed using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children and the Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicated that African American parents who provided homes that were rich in African American culture had preschool children who had greater amounts of factual knowledge and better developed problem–solving skills. African American parents who socialized their preschool children to be proud of their heritage reported fewer problem behaviors.
Testosterone during Pregnancy and Gender Role Behavior of Preschool Children: A Longitudinal, Population Study
Authors: Hines Melissa , Golombok Susan , Rust John , Johnston Katie J. , Golding Jean , Parents and Children Study Team Avon Longitudinal Study of
Published: March 2003

Levels of testosterone (T) and sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) were measured in blood samples from pregnant women and related to gender role behavior in 342 male and 337 female offspring at the age of 3.5 years. Gender role behavior was assessed using the Pre–School Activities Inventory, a standardized measure on which a parent indicates the child's involvement with sex–typical toys, games, and activities. Levels of T, but not SHBG, related linearly to gender role behavior in preschool girls. Neither hormone related to gender role behavior in boys. Other factors, including the presence of older brothers or sisters in the home, parental adherence to traditional sex roles, the presence of a male partner in the home, and maternal education, did not relate to gender role behavior in this sample and did not account for the relation observed between T and behavior. Although other, unmeasured factors may explain the relation, the results suggest that normal variability in T levels prenatally may contribute to the development of individual differences in the gender role behavior of preschool girls.
A Reputation–Oriented Reinforcement Learning Strategy for Agents in Electronic Marketplaces
Authors: Tran Thomas , Cohen Robin
Published: March 2003

In this paper, we propose a reputation–oriented reinforcement learning algorithm for buying and selling agents in electronic market environments. We take into account the fact that multiple selling agents may offer the same good with different qualities. In our approach, buying agents learn to avoid the risk of purchasing low–quality goods and to maximize their expected value of goods by dynamically maintaining sets of reputable sellers. Selling agents learn to maximize their expected profits by adjusting product prices and by optionally altering the quality of their goods. Modeling the reputation of sellers allows buying agents to focus on those sellers with whom a certain degree of trust has been established. We also include the ability for buying agents to optionally explore the marketplace in order to discover new reputable sellers. As detailed in the paper, we believe that our proposed strategy leads to improved satisfaction for buyers and sellers, reduced communication load, and robust systems. In addition, we present preliminary experimental results that confirm some potential advantages of the proposed algorithm, and outline planned future experimentation to continue the evaluation of the model.
Hierarchical Radiosity for Dynamic Environments
Authors: Shaw Erin
Published: March 2003

This paper extends the hierarchical radiosity method to environments in which geometry and surface attributes can be changed dynamically. New algorithms are presented for maintaining an appropriately‐sized mesh and speeding the construction of the corresponding linear system. Mesh folding, the unrefinement of a mesh, is used to optimize mesh size while maintaining a specified error tolerance. Two new interactions are introduced: shadow links guide local shadow clean up after a change in geometry and ghost links guide global mesh folding after a change in surface attributes. The algorithms stabilize the memory requirements of dynamic scenes. Different types of interactions are analyzed to determine how they are affected by changes in geometry. A dynamic scene‐partitioning scheme called a motion volume, used in conjunction with a three‐dimensional clipping algorithm, provides a fast way to cull interactions that do not need to be updated. The algorithms are demonstrated on several sample scenes.
Virtually Documented Environments: A New Interface Paradigm for Task‐oriented Access to Information
Authors: Kakez Samory , Conan Vania , Bisson Pascal
Published: March 2003

We present a suitable virtually documented environment system providing the user with high level interaction possibilities. The system is dedicated to applications where the operator needs to have his hands free in order to access information, carry out measurements and/or operate on a device (e.g. maintenance, instruction). The system merges video images acquired through a head‐mounted video camera with synthetic data (multimedia documents including CAD models and text) and presents these merged images to the operator. Registration techniques allow the operator to visualise information properly correlated to the real world: this is an essential aspect in order to achieve a feeling of presence in a real environment.

We increase the sense of immersion through high level Human‐Computer Interaction (HCI) allowing hands‐free access to information through vocal commands as well as multimodal interaction associating speech and gesture. In this way, the user can access information and manipulate it in a very natural manner. We discuss the construction of the documentation system and the requested functionalities which led to the system architecture.
Egocentric Object Manipulation in Virtual Environments: Empirical Evaluation of Interaction Techniques
Authors: Poupyrev I. , Ichikawa T. , Weghorst S. , Billinghurst M.
Published: March 2003

The acceptance of virtual environment (VE) technology requires scrupulous optimization of the most basic interactions in order to maximize user performance and provide efficient and enjoyable virtual interfaces. Motivated by insufficient understanding of the human factors design implications of interaction techniques and tools for virtual interfaces, this paper presents results of a formal study that compared two basic interaction metaphors for egocentric direct manipulation in VEs, virtual hand and virtual pointer, in object selection and positioning experiments. The goals of the study were to explore immersive direct manipulation interfaces, compare performance characteristics of interaction techniques based on the metaphors of interest, understand their relative strengths and weaknesses, and derive design guidelines for practical development of VE applications.
The Art of Knitted Fabrics, Realistic & Physically Based Modelling of Knitted Patterns
Authors: Meißner M. , Eberhardt B.
Published: March 2003

In this paper we will present a system to use three dimensional computer graphics in garment design. This system is capable to visualize the "real", i.e. the physically correct, appearance of a knitted fabric. A fast visualization of a physically correct micro‐structure garment is of crucial importance in textile industry, since it enables fast and less expensive product development. This system may be either used in the design of new products or teaching the art of knitted fabrics.

We use in our system directly the produced machine‐code of the design system for knitting machines. A physical model, a particle system, is used to calculate the dynamics of the micro‐structure of the knitted garment.
Interactive Cuts through 3‐Dimensional Soft Tissue
Authors: Bielser Daniel , Maiwald Volker A. , Gross Markus H.
Published: March 2003

We describe a physically based framework for interactive modeling and cutting of 3‐dimensional soft tissue that can be used for surgery simulation. Unlike existing approaches which are mostly designed for tensorproduct grids our methods operate on tetrahedral decompositions giving more topological and geometric flexibility for the efficient modeling of complex anatomical structures. We start from an initial tetrahedralization such as being provided by any conventional meshing method. In order to track topological changes tetrahedra intersected by the virtual scalpel are split into substructures whose connectivity follows the trajectory of the cut, which can be arbitrary. For the efficient computation of collisions between the scalpel and individual tetrahedra we devised a local collision detection algorithm. The underlying physics is approximated through masses and springs attached to each tetrahedral vertex and edge. A hierarchical Runge‐Kutta iteration computes the relaxation of the system by traversing the designed data structures in a breadth‐first order. The framework includes a force‐feedback interface and uses real‐time texture mapping to enhance the visual realism.
Fast Ray Tracing of Implicit Surfaces
Authors: Sherstyuk Andrei
Published: March 2003

A ray‐tracing algorithm is described for rendering implicit surfaces formed with C1‐continuous bounded functions f(x, y, z). This class of functions includes such popular implicit models as blobby molecules, metaballs, soft objects and convolution surfaces. The algorithm employs analytical methods only, which makes it fast, robust, and numerically stable.

An earlier version of this work was presented at the 3rd International Workshop on Implicit Surfaces held in Seattle in 1998.
Representing Conics using NURBS of Degree Two*
Authors: Qin Kaihuai , Sun Jiaguang , Wang Xuefu
Published: March 2003

In this paper, a new method is presented for representing conics precisely using NURBS of degree two. The method requires only four control vertices to represent a full circle using the full circumscribing square‐based representation, which is less than the number required with the other methods using the square control vertex configuration.9, 10, 13 The paper also derives a new condition for NURBS to represent conics precisely and shows the sufficient and necessary conditions for representation of a circular arc, and gives the definition and the knot vector formulae of a periodic NURBS curve.
An Integrated System for Modeling, Animating and Rendering Hair
Authors: Daldegan Agnes , Thalmann Nadia Magnenat , Kurihara Tsuneya , Thalmann Daniel
Published: March 2003

There are basically four problems to solve in order to produce realistic animated synthetic actors with hair: hair modeling and creation, hair motion, collision detection and hair rendering. This paper describes a complete methodology to solve these basic four problems. We present how hair styles may be designed with our Hair Styler module. Then we survey the animation model and emphasize a method of collision processing. Finally, we explain how hair may be rendered using an extension of a standard ray‐tracing program. We also show applications of our synthetic actors with various hair styles and different styles of mustaches and beards.
Computer Generated Copper Plates
Authors: Leister Wolfgang
Published: March 2003

Making computer generated copper plates with image generation algorithms is presented. The method uses a kind of volume texturing in connection with image processing algorithms, and is suitable for implementation in a ray tracing algorithm. Experience shows that this method is especially interesting for illustrations in books and for generating icons on user interfaces.
Functions Defining Arbitrary Meshes – A Flexible Interface between Numerical Data and Visualization Routines
Authors: Rumpf Martin , Schmidt Alfred , Siebert Kunibert G.
Published: March 2003

Most of the rendering tools in scientific visualization are restricted to special data structures which differ substantially from the data formats used in numerical applications. Trying to close this gap, we present an interface between data from numerical methods on general types of grids ‐ like cuboidal, prismatic, simplicial, parametric, mixed, or hierarchical meshes — and general visualization routines. It is based on a procedural approach managing a collection of arbitrary elements and a set of functions describing each element type. No mapping of (an in general enormous amount of) numerical data onto new data structures is necessary; a user may use his own data structures and only has to provide this small set of procedures and functions. The visualization tools will then use these routines to access (temporarily and locally) data of interest, like information about a single element. Compared with display routines on a specialized data structure, this general interface does not produce much cpu overhead.
Representation is Democracy
Authors: Plotke David
Published: March 2003

During the Cold War, arguments about representation were a significant part of international debates about democracy. Proponents of minimal democracy dominated these arguments, and their thin notions of representation became political common sense. I propose a view of representation that differs from the main views advocated during the Cold War. Representation has a central positive role in democratic politics: I gain political representation when my authorized representative tries to achieve my political aims, subject to dialogue about those aims and to the use of mutually acceptable procedures for gaining them. Thus the opposite of representation is not participation. The opposite of representation is exclusion – and the opposite of participation is abstention. Rather than opposing participation to representation, we should try to improve representative practices and forms to make them more open, effective, and fair.
Civil Society and Political Transition in Mexico
Authors: Olvera Alberto J.
Published: March 2003

This article analyzes the current political transition in México from the vantage point of civil society. It departs from a definition of the Mexican authoritarian regime, now the oldest in the world, as a model of fusion between the state, the market and society. The crisis of the developmental model and the regime’s increasing inability to incorporate the new social actors created by industrialization and urbanization opened up a long period of political crisis whose main content was a process of societal differentiation. The failure of President Salinas’ project of neo‐liberal reconstruction of the authoritarian regime deepened the crisis and led to the formation and consolidation of strong national political parties, the beginning of a still unequal, but effective electoral competition and especially to the emergence of several civic groups that are struggling for a democratization that goes beyond electoral politics. The collective identity as civil society of these civic groups has been instrumental for the critique of the regime’s gradualist strategy of “permenent electoral reform”.
New Citizens and Old Politics in Peru
Authors: Lynch Nicolás
Published: March 2003

The article presents an analysis of the disjunction between civil and political society in Perú and its consequences in the collapse of the political parties and the rise of an authoritarian regime. It explains how citizenship developed as social rights in the realm of Peruvian civil society before the population gained access to full civil and political rights. This situation diminished the capacity of Peruvian citizens to have their own political representation and created a distance between Peru’s civil and political societies, making it difficult for the population to hold politicians accountable for their actions in government and the opposition. This situation proved particularly serious when the country went through a period of deep economic crisis and extended political violence during the 1980s. The breach between civil and political society destroyed the prestige of politicians and democracy, paving the way for an authoritarian cuadillo who dismissed representation with promises of “direct communication with the people” and harsh solutions to the problems of economic crisis and political violence.
Stakeholder Governance: A Cybernetic and Property Rights Analysis
Authors: Turnbull Shann
Published: March 2003

A cybernetic perspective is used to evaluate firms with or without stakeholder participation in their information and control architecture. This approach also provides a basis for evaluating firms with more than one board or control centre as found in Japan, Europe, and labour‐managed firms. Empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that multi control centres with stakeholder participation can provide competitive advantages. This hypothesis is supported by the Law of Requisite Variety and the Williamson analysis of why Multi‐divisional firms provide advantages over Unitary Form firms. The opportunity to support stakeholder governance with stakeholder ownership is identified from an analysis of how corporate rights of perpetual succession permits investors to be overpaid. The public policy implications of investor overpayments are considered. Also considered is the use of cybernetic principles to introduce self‐regulation as proposed by the US Vice President. Policy initiatives are identified to build a ‘stakeholder economy’ as proposed by the Leader of the Labour Party in Britain. The paper concludes that appropriate stakeholder governance could improve equity and self‐governance in the private sector, the quality of democracy in the public sector, and the efficiency of both sectors.
Spanning the Gap – the theoretical principles that connect stakeholder policies to business performance
Authors: Slinger Giles
Published: March 2003

If the word “stakeholder” were a person, it would just be coming into its prime. Born in 1963, it has accumulated experience in influential positions, and ought to be prepared for some serious responsibility. But what exactly does it offer, and is it ready?

This paper tries to show that the stakeholder concept is ready. In the first half, it explains three principles that form the heart of the idea: co‐operation, commitment and rich information. Rich information, in particular, is given a new role in interpreting stakeholder theory. The second half of the paper focuses on a practical issue: methods for encouraging co‐operation. For fifty years, organizational psychologists at the (UK) Tavistock Institute and the (US) National Training Laboratories have developed methods for changing relations in the workplace. The principles underlying their work are shown to be very close to the principles underlying the stakeholder approach. This means that the stakeholder approach has foundations in an important body of practical scientific experimentation.

Lastly, by explaining the principles underlying the idea of stakeholding, this paper fills a gap which has previously prevented the identification of a convincing causal connection between stakeholder policies and business performance.
Privatisation and Deregulation: corporate governance consequences in a global economy
Authors: Loredo Enrique , Suarez Eugenia
Published: March 2003

Corporate governance practices in the privatised British electricity utilities are analysed in this paper. It is shown that external governance did not put enough pressure on the managers of the companies. Soft price regulation, the lack of product market competition in distribution, low financial leverage and the deactivated takeover market created a stable environment. Moreover, diffused ownership was not an adequate stimulus either. Although board structures complied with best practices and executive incentives were in place, these two devices were unable to successfully restrict managerial discretion. Therefore, it is suggested that global competition in the market for corporate control could play an important role in bringing in the appropriate incentives. The evidence indicates that allowing American electric firms to bid for their UK counterparts brought to light inadequate corporate behaviour.
The Disclosure of UK Boardroom Pay: the March 2001 DTI proposals
Authors: Conyon Martin J.
Published: March 2003

In March 2001 the government announced that new disclosure rules relating to UK boardroom pay would be introduced. This paper critically evaluates these proposals. The new proposals emerged from the government’s Directors Remuneration consultative document issued in July 1999. The current paper makes the following contributions to the governance literature. First, the new disclosure proposals are reviewed. I suggest that they are incomplete both in their detail and scope. I also suggest that the government has conceded that more US style executive compensation disclosure is required. Second, I describe US executive compensation disclosure practices. If convergence in disclosure practice is potentially desirable then a more systematic comparison and analysis of current disclosure policies in the two economies is warranted.
Corporate Governance and Financial Distress: when structures have to change
Authors: Mumford Michael J.
Published: March 2003

This paper indicates some implications of corporate financial distress for corporate governance. Formal measures, laid down in statute and commercial law, and informal steps established by financial practice, both respond to the threat of insolvency by limiting (and sometimes removing) corporate control of incumbent management. Both need to be considered together in order to appreciate their effects in practice. Shifts in control are associated with UK statutory insolvency procedures, and the paper reviews accounting–based rules intended to protect creditors. It is argued that cash forecasts are the only effective basis for such rules.
Fortune Favours Only the Prepared Mind: Why Sources of Inspiration are Essential for Continuing Creativity
Authors: Eckert Claudia , Stacey Martin
Published: March 2003

Intellectual health like physical health depends on a balance between feeding and exercise. But the demands of work often make a healthy balance very hard to maintain. In a detailed study of the knitwear industry and in comparisons with other design fields, we have observed that designers use external sources of ideas for a variety of different purposes throughout the design process. We have also observed that designers’ creative potential is often limited by the failure of managers to understand design, and especially their designers’ need to search for sources of new ideas. Managing design processes to maximize creative output requires both an understanding of the role of sources of ideas in the creative process, and proactive management to support and encourage the renewal of intellectual resources. In this paper we suggest some practical steps for supporting continuing creativity.
Making Sense with Backcasting: the Future Perfect: A creative method and its backgrounds illustrated through a practical case
Authors: Tassoul Marc
Published: March 2003

During his work as a creativity practitioner and researcher, the author has developed a Future Perfect approach to achieve a collaborative sense and vision about issues of change.

This article reports the experience of both participants and facilitator in using this process, in a project undertaken to develop new approaches to clean textiles in the context of sustainable development. The process is described in part on the basis of McWhinney’s ‘Six Systems Model’ and Catford and Ray’s ‘Path of the Everyday Hero’. The experience is then developed into helpful hints for creativity practitioners.
Business Incubation and Enterprise Support Systems in Restructuring Countries
Authors: Lalkaka Rustam , Abetti Pier
Published: March 2003

After two decades of rapid growth, the United States business incubation industry has reached maturity with 530 incubators. In contrast, growth is still increasing rapidly in restructuring countries with industrializing and transitional economies, which have over 500 incubators. We present a situation analysis of incubators and enterprise support systems in these countries, and discuss the key success factors, based on trends of convergence of all initiatives into an integrated infrastructure. We then offer insights on strategically planning for the future, and policy guidelines useful to governments, international organizations, and local stakeholders that are planning, implementing and managing incubator projects in restructuring countries.
The Place of TRIZ in a Holistic Design Methodology
Authors: Knott David
Published: March 2003

Design is key to a project’s profitability and therefore increased PROFIT by DESIGN is the goal of improvements to the design process. Business requirements can be summarised as Better, Faster, Cheaper and considerable investment has been made in technology and methods for the design process to enable this. There is evidence to suggest that these investments have resulted in products themselves getting better but not necessarily produced faster or cheaper.

A model of the design process has been developed which makes explicit its key elements. The six key elements or dimensions of the design process are: Analyse; Understand; Decide; Create; Capture; and Know.

Investments in design technology may not be reaching their full potential due to a mismatch between the relative importance of the attributes of a good designer and the areas where investments have been made, leading to a potential loss of balance in the design process. This is compounded by failure to take a holistic view of changes to the process including mitigation of any downside. In particular the Create dimension, which is seen as the most important attribute of a good designer, has had the least investment and also is the most vulnerable because it is optional. In recognition of this fact, Rolls‐Royce is using the TRIZ methodology to provide designers with an improved capability. However it also is recognised that providing capability alone is not enough. The right motivation and opportunity are also needed, and this requires the appropriate organisational and cultural features to be in place. What is needed is a people centred process that is business driven and product focused.
Collaborative Processes and Knowledge Creation in Communities‐of‐Practice
Authors: Breu Karin , Hemingway Christopher
Published: March 2003

This paper challenges the view of employees’ reluctance to share what they know, thus, attributing the ‘stickiness’ of knowledge to motivational factors. The study investigated informal mechanisms for knowledge sharing, taking a community‐of‐practice (CoP) perspective as a point of departure. A large‐sized organisation in the utilities sector provided the context of the research. Existing CoP theory is advanced by surfacing the motivations for participation in CoPs, by eliciting the contributions informal, self‐organising communities achieve in a commercial context and by documenting the process by which informal community activities become absorbed into the formal organisation.
Temporal Context of Organizational Learning in New Product Development Projects
Authors: Bourgeon Laurent
Published: March 2003

Faced with the evolution of the competitive environment, firms have to find the delicate balance between two goals that are sometimes contradictory: accelerate the time spent on product development and leave time to the personnel implicated in these projects to develop collective learning.

This research shows that the project ‘time’ has an important influence on the realization of collective learning during new product development projects. The commitment of the project team in activities like experimentation, detection and correction of errors, and research of new combinations which constitute organizational learning depends on the two conceptions of the project ‘time’.

If the duration of the project and the time spent by the functional personnel on the project constitute the objective time of the project (first conception of time), the project ‘time’ is also a subjective time which corresponds to the project team’s shared vision of the project’s deadlines (second conception of time).
Knowing Activity: Corporate Bridging of Knowledge and Value Creation
Authors: Skaret Mona , Björkeng Kjersti , Hydle Katja Maria
Published: March 2003

We argue that practical endeavours towards mobilising and recreating knowledge is an integral part of value increasing activities, and expose how this dependency can be utilised in ameliorating practice. This bridging of knowledge and value creation constitutes organisational activities as knowing. The paper exposes the efforts of Telenor, a large telecom firm, to create an enduring agenda for non‐financial issues in management. We expose the development process and initial use of their new Integrated Management Business Model. This involves identifying financial and non‐financial drivers of future performance within and across several business units, as well as negotiating on appropriate indicators of both status and change. The paper pays special attention to the iterative approach to development in order to highlight a shift from an attempt to enable knowledge in autonomous processes secluded from everyday activities, towards an understanding of knowledge and knowing as intrinsic to the value creating activities performed. By entering the issue of intangibles through the knowing activity perspective, it was evident that the purpose of the management system was not to determine the status of intangibles in the corporation, it was to improve it.
Personality Dimensions in Nonhuman Animals
Authors: Gosling Samuel D. , John Oliver P.
Published: March 2003

The evolutionary continuity between humans and other animals suggests that some dimensions of personality may be common across a wide range of species. Unfortunately, there is no unified body of research on animal personality; studies are dispersed across multiple disciplines and diverse journals. To review 19 studies of personality factors in 12 nonhuman species, we used the human Five-Factor Model plus Dominance and Activity as a preliminary framework. Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Agreeableness showed the strongest cross-species generality, followed by Openness; a separate Conscientiousness dimension appeared only in chimpanzees, humans' closest relatives. Cross-species evidence was modest for a separate Dominance dimension but scant for Activity. The comparative approach taken here offers a fresh perspective on human personality and should facilitate hypothesis-driven research on the social and biological bases of personality.
Revealing Personal Secrets
Authors: Kelly Anita E.
Published: March 2003

Both the health benefits and the potential drawbacks of revealing personal secrets (i.e., those that directly involve the secret keeper) are reviewed. Making the decision to reveal personal secrets to others involves a trade-off. On the one hand, secret keepers can feel better by revealing their secrets and gaining new insights into them. On the other hand, secret keepers can avoid looking bad before important audiences (such as their bosses or therapists) by not revealing their secrets. Making a wise decision to reveal a personal secret hinges on finding an appropriate confidant—someone who is discreet, who is perceived by the secret keeper to be nonjudgmental, and who is able to offer new insights into the secret.
Do Negative Cognitive Styles Confer Vulnerability to Depression?
Authors: Alloy Lauren B. , Abramson Lyn Y. , Francis Erika L.
Published: March 2003

According to the cognitive-vulnerability hypothesis of depression, negative cognitive styles confer vulnerability to depression when people confront negative life events. In this article, we present evidence that negative cognitive styles do indeed confer vulnerability to clinically significant depressive disorders and suicidality and discuss possible developmental antecedents of cognitive vulnerability to depression. We consider the issue of stability versus change in cognitive vulnerability to depression and discuss the broader implications of the cognitive-vulnerability findings for mental and physical health.
The Comparative Psychology of Avian Visual Cognition
Authors: Cook Robert G.
Published: March 2003

How do small-brained, highly mobile animals like birds so readily perceive the visual world? Despite the computational complexity of vision, recent behavioral tests have suggested that these evolutionarily distant animals may use visual mechanisms that operate in the same manner as the visual mechanisms of primates. This article reviews new evidence regarding the processes of early vision and object perception in pigeons and considers speculations about the similarities and differences between avian and primate visual cognition.
Environmental and Behavioral Influences on Gene Activity
Authors: Gottlieb Gilbert
Published: March 2003

The central dogma of molecular biology holds that “information” flows from the genes to the structure of the proteins that the genes bring about through the formula DNA → RNA → protein. In this view, a set of master genes activates the DNA necessary to produce the appropriate proteins that the organism needs during development. In contrast to this view, probabilistic epigenesis holds that necessarily there are signals from the internal and external environment that activate DNA to produce the appropriate proteins. To support this view, I review a substantial body of evidence showing that external environmental influences on gene activation are normally occurring events in a large variety of organisms, including humans. This demonstrates how genes and environments work together to produce functional organisms, thus extending the model of probabilistic epigenesis.
The Immune System as a Sensory System
Authors: Maier Steven F. , Watkins Linda R.
Published: March 2003

The brain and immune system form a bidirectional communication network in which the immune system operates as a sense organ to provide the brain with information about infection and injury, thereby allowing the brain to coordinate a defense. Activated immune cells release proteins called cytokines, which signal the brain by both blood and neural routes. Information that reaches the brain across this sensory channel produces large changes in neural activity, behavior, mood, and cognitive functioning. Appreciation of the functioning of this network may illuminate poorly understood aspects of stress, depression, and intraindividual variability in behavior, mood, and cognition.