bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is the standardization of human resource practices perceived as fair across national cultures?
Authors: Lunnan Randi , Elizabeth Mercer Traavik Laura
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate perceptions of fairness of a standardized performance appraisal in a multinational enterprise. The paper looks at the first step in understanding fairness perceptions by examining whether national culture influences the view on standardization itself and by comparing China, Lithuania, and Norway.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment using a scenario that outlined a performance appraisal tool in a multinational company is conducted. National culture and individual cultural values are the independent variables and the perception of fairness of the practice is the dependent variable. A sample of 80 management respondents from Lithuania, China, and Norway is taken.

Findings

The findings suggest that national culture influences perceptions of fairness of a standardized performance appraisal tool. Employees from countries undergoing profound economic and political change, that score low on the cultural dimension of self‐expression, tend to see the standardized tool as more fair than employees from a stable country high on self‐expression. Differences in fairness perception at the individual level are found, where respondents high on power distance had higher perceptions of fairness of a standardized tool. Both national and individual levels measures of culture affected perceptions.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is small; however, the differences are strong and indicate that perceptions of fairness vary. The experimental design allows good control, although it can limit generalizability to the field.

Practical implications

Multinational companies must understand that before analysis and choice of specific human resource practices it is important that they are aware of national and individual cultural differences towards standardization itself. Cultural differences affect reactions not only to the specific human practice but also to the standardization. Companies can use dimensions such as power distance and the survival/self‐expression dimension to understand the response of their employees. Being aware of this challenge may lead multinationals to pursue more fine‐tuned ways of communicating and implementing a standardized practice.

Originality/value

Using experiments to understand the implementation of practices in multinational organizations it is identified that, before deciding whether a practice should be locally adapted or standardized, the first step is to find out how standardization itself is perceived.
Limiting the brain drain
Authors: Gaiduk Roman , Gaiduk Julija , Fields Dail
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles of job‐ and organization‐related variables in explaining the attachment of Lithuanian employees to their current employer.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 190 employees of a plastic manufacturing company located in an urban area in Lithuania completed a questionnaire containing 84 items describing job and organizational attributes. These data were analyzed using multivariate regression.

Findings

In multivariate analysis, job‐ and organization‐related variables each explained approximately equal proportions of the variance in employee attachment. When all of the job and organization‐related variables were used simultaneously to predict employee organizational attachment, only intrinsic job characteristics, opportunities for promotion and training, and communication to/from employees made significant unique contributions to explanation of employee organizational attachment. The job and organizational variables together explained 56 percent of the variance in attachment. While the organization‐related variables did not make a larger contribution to explanation of the variance in organizational attachment than to job‐related variables, organization‐related variables seem to explain how job‐related variables influence attachment.

Practical implications

The paper provides practical insights to organizational managers in Lithuania about the relative importance of job‐ and organization‐related aspects of the work environment in predicting employee attachment to an organization. These insights may help reduce the current out‐migration trends of workers and help Lithuanian companies compete more effectively in the European Union (EU).

Originality/value

Only a few studies have examined the influence of different variables in determining the strength of employee‐employer relationships in transitioning countries of Eastern Europe such as Lithuania. The paper contributes value by empirically examining the applicability of prevailing models of the determinants of employee organizational attachment to the employment environment of Lithuania, a country transitioning from the Soviet era as a member of the EU.
Leadership in transformational Estonia
Authors: Tuulik Krista , Alas Ruth
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out whether the leadership expectations in independent Estonia differ from leadership expectations in other East European countries (EEC) and from other neighbouring countries and also to investigate actual leadership perception in Estonia.

Design/methodology/approach

To find answers to the research questions stated above, two leadership surveys were carried out in Estonia in 2001 and 2003. The research carried out in 2001 concentrated on actual leader behaviour and the next wave of research, carried out in 2003, was devoted to desirable leader behaviour. The methodology of the surveys was based on the cross‐cultural Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) research program with its initial headquarters in the USA. The GLOBE research program is a world‐wide, multi‐phase and method project.

Findings

The crucial thing in the Estonian working environment during the transformation period was team spirit and team reinforcement. Unless Estonians are usually considered to be lonely spirits, the team in the working environment is considered to be very important. As opposed to other EEC countries, Estonia is more like other European countries when considering team orientation. The comparison of actual leadership patterns and desired leadership in Estonia showed that Estonians expect their leaders to be charismatic – value‐based, team‐oriented and participative. The leaders are not expected to be humane, self‐protective and autonomous – these styles are considered to inhibit outstanding leadership.

Practical implications

Knowledge of current research about the Estonian leadership style can be used in the training of future leaders in colleges and universities. With Estonia being a new member of the European Union, lots of companies will open their subsidiaries in this region if they have not done so already and information about culturally endorsed leadership profiles can be used while selecting and training people who will work with representatives of other cultures.

Originality/value

The leaders during the research period were considered to be charismatic – value‐based and team‐oriented, but not participative and too autonomous.
Social conflicts and the culture of cooperation in transitional society
Authors: Lakis Juozas
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the complexity of post‐Communist transition with regard to the processes of creating a legal and institutional environment, which will predispose social actors to cooperate to solve social problems and neutralize disparities. The paper also seeks to consider the shift from social destruction (everyone fighting with one an other) to social collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus of the paper is on the scope of the simultaneously functioning political, social and moral extremes. They are seen as the key attributes of chaotic social transition and as material for creating cooperative links.

Findings

Political and social transformation running simultaneously, and followed by legal and administrative modernization, provoked formerly unknown social conflicts in the transitional society. The case of Lithuania shows that the old methods for dealing with new conflicts were not suitable. Society became fragmented. Social costs of disintegration were high but not equal, when compared internationally. Interdependence between functionality, innovative and cultural potential of the state, and its capability to regulate conflicts and social controversies had been brought into political debates and public discussions after transition had been in progress for several years. This was a signal that political parties and the most influential social players became concerned about social outcomes of the reforms. Developing a new legal and institutional environment, empowering cooperation and conflict management in social interactions, is perceived as an indicator of the progress of the continuing transition.

Research limitations/implications

Because of its nature and size, the research does not develop insights into the processes which were in some sense dependent on, and simultaneously became incentives for, the culture of cooperation in society; for example, dynamics of cooperation and competition among authorities and citizens, business and politics.

Originality/value

Though great interest is shown in transitional processes in social and humanitarian studies, the rise of conflicts in society as well as the limitations of constructive ways of dealing with such conflicts are not yet the focus of social investigation.
Iron deficiency and its impact on academic achievement
Authors: Li Yun
Published: May 2009

Purpose

It is widely accepted that good health and education are important components of human capability. Although China has made encouraging progress in education and health causes, the role of poor health as an intervening factor in education has not been fully recognized. Iron deficiency is the major micronutrient deficiency encountered by children and adolescents. Many medical and social studies have found a negative correlation between iron deficiency and children physical growth and cognitive development. However, few of the existing literatures work to the conclusion of a causal relationship considering the endogenity problem in the estimation of a human capital model. The purpose of this paper is to study the iron status of elementary school children living in the poor countryside of western China and its educational consequence with the application of instrumental variable (IV) estimation.

Design/methodology/approach

An analytical framework of academic achievement production is adopted in the paper to empirically identify the relationship between iron deficiency and academic achievement to estimate the impact.

Findings

Using a sample of 45,549 school children from Gansu, the paper finds that around 86 per cent of the sample children are iron deficient and 40 per cent of the sample children are suffering from iron deficiency anaemia. The use of IV is innovative in identifying the endogenous health variable, namely iron deficiency.

Originality/value

This paper enriches existing studies on children health and education. IV estimation indicates that iron deficiency has a significant adverse impact on school children academic achievement. The paper suggests health intervention, such as iron intake fortification, as a possible measure for education cause.
Financial repression in China's agricultural economy
Authors: He Lin , Turvey Calum
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not financial repression exists in the saving and investment activities of farm households in rural areas of China.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper empirically investigates repression in rural China using the McKinnon‐Shaw model and microeconomic data combined with lending and savings rates and ceilings by rural credit cooperatives.

Findings

The paper finds only limited evidence of a repression dominated by savings, while investment response appears to be, at least on average, normal or unrepressed. More specifically, the paper finds that the relationship between growth and investment is consistent with an unrepressed economy but savings do show evidence of repression.

Originality/value

The political focus of economic reformation in China has been one of rapid economic growth in urban areas and a neglect of the agriculture sector. This focus on urban growth has led some Chinese scholars to speculate that the residual impact is a repressed agricultural and rural economy, at least in the context of McKinnon and Shaw framework. However, such speculations have not previously been verified. This paper presents the first attempt to determine the relationships exclusively in the context of the agricultural economy.
Impact of credit disbursed by commercial banks on the productivity of wheat in Faisalabad district
Authors: Khalid Bashir Muhammad , Gill Zulfiqar Ahmad , Hassan Sarfraz
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The agriculture sector is the single largest contributor to the national income (gross domestic product – (GDP)) of Pakistan. Wheat is the main staple diet of the people of Pakistan. It contributes 13.7 percent to the value added in agriculture and 3.0 percent to GDP. Given its importance to the national economy, the government attaches high priority to raising agricultural productivity and farmer's income. For this purpose, financing for agricultural sector is very much needed and important. Like other institutional sources, commercial banks also provide agricultural credit. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of credit disbursed by them on the productivity of wheat.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected from 114 randomly selected respondents through a well‐structured interview schedule. Cobb Douglous function was used to calculate the impact of credit on the productivity.

Findings

The coefficient of credit was highly significant, which showed that credit has a positive impact on the productivity of wheat and hence is an important tool for improving the productivity of agriculture sector.

Originality/value

The study in hand will be useful for the planners who are responsible for allocating funds for the agricultural sector in general and for wheat growers in particular. The recommendations of the study will go a long way to mitigating the problems being faced by the small farmers of Pakistan in securing institutional credit.
China's rural poverty line and the determinants of rural poverty
Authors: Wang Xiuqing , Liu Juan , Yao Shujie , Xin Xian
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to yield more plausible rural poverty lines for China and then assess the determinants of rural poverty using these newly revised rural poverty lines.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper it is argued that the Chinese official poverty line substantially misestimates the actual rural poverty situations. The poverty lines are derived with Ravallion's method with a rural household survey data of China's two provinces, Hubei, and Inner Mongolia. Poverty determinants using the derived as well as the other rural poverty lines are compared.

Findings

The results indicate that the poverty lines derived from a pan‐country level food bundle cannot fully reflect the regional poverty situation. Merely adjusting rural poverty lines at the country‐level consumer price index without fully considering changes in the structure of food consumption and food prices with respect to different regions may also lead to wrong poverty estimates. The comparisons between the model regression results using the newly derived poverty lines with the alternative rural poverty lines suggest that the current literature uses the World Bank or the Chinese official rural poverty lines to assess how the rural poverty determinants might yield implausible policy implications.

Practical implications

China needs to adjust the rural poverty lines with full consideration to the structure of food consumption and food prices with respect to different regions.

Originality/value

It is indicated that the Chinese official poverty line substantially misestimates the actual rural poverty situations in China and this in turn affects the associated policy implications.
The globalisation of the wine industry: new world, old world and China
Authors: Thorpe Michael
Published: May 2009

Purpose

As the Chinese economy continues to develop, rising incomes for many people has meant significant shifts in consumption patterns. Over the past several years, per capita wine consumption in China has doubled. Although off a relatively low base, this still represents a significant sales volume. At the same time, the wine industry in the country has been undergoing restructuring with China now emerging as a major producer in world terms. These developments have been occurring at a time when the global wine industry has become increasingly globalised with so‐called new world (NW) suppliers challenging established European companies in existing and emerging wine markets. In this context, the paper aims to look at the possible threats as well as opportunities presented by China as a relatively new player in the market.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews recent production and consumption trends in the world wine market. The changing patterns and growing volume of global wine trade is then assessed in light of the significant structural changes occurring in the industry in both importing and exporting countries. Recent developments in the wine market in China are identified and possible future implications for the world market are discussed.

Findings

NW wine producers are increasingly encroaching on traditional wine consuming markets and gaining advantage in new and growing markets. One result has been an expanding and increasingly competitive global market place. China, meanwhile, is seen to have considerable potential for growth in terms of wine consumption, while at the same time posing a possible threat to existing exporters in third markets.

Originality/value

Knowledge of emerging trends in wine markets and likely future developments are important for industry participants as well as policy makers in countries where wine is an increasingly important traded commodity. The paper provides an important contribution to the understanding of the global nature of the wine industry and the potential influence of China as both a major producer and consumer of wine.
Evaluation of new socialist countryside development in China
Authors: Guo Xiang‐Yu , Yu Zhi‐Gang , Schmit Todd , Henehan Brian , Li Dan
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the level of new socialist countryside (NSC) construction among different provinces in China. China prioritized a NSC reform policy in 2005 to address the growing disparities in incomes and living standards between rural and urban populations. These policies are evaluated to measure the extent of effective reform concerning farmer, agricultural, and rural economic development.

Design/methodology/approach

An index system is developed and factor analysis is performed to describe the relative contributions of economic reform. Aggregate index scores are computed to rank provincial progress.

Findings

Rankings indicate the progression of rural economic reform is moderate, at best, and mostly isolated to well‐developed eastern provinces. Reform growth is also uneven across similarly rural provinces, indicating a need for continued attention in these poorer areas.

Originality/value

Continued applications of the index and scoring procedure developed here will provide useful insights as time progresses and reform efforts continue.
Rigid growth characteristic of demand for oil in China's agro‐production
Authors: Wang Lihong , Tian Zhihong
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The demand for oil in agricultural production increases continuously with the world oil price soaring, reflecting a rigid growth characteristic, but there are no clear reasons for this. The purpose of this paper is to assess the essential reasons of this issue in theoretical and empirical perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops the model of derived demand for petroleum in agro‐production; analyzes the effect on agricultural labor‐machinery due to the changes in relative price of input factors; and reveals the reasons for the rigid growth of the demand for farm diesel; as well as estimates the substitution of agricultural machine for labor.

Findings

The results indicate that the rigid growth characteristic of the demand for farm diesel is due to the adjustment of the product and factor markets; and the most important reason is the changes in structure of the agro‐production inputs caused by the relative soaring price of agricultural labor‐machinery.

Practical implications

The government should attach importance to its impact on farmers and take effective measures to insure the stable development of agricultural production.

Originality/value

This research investigates the main reasons for the rigid growth characteristic of demand for oil in China's agro‐production from a novelty perspective. The proposed conceptual model is unique, it analyzes the substitution of agricultural mechanical for labor from the perspective of changes in relative price, and selects the two level constant elasticity substitution production functions to estimate the substitution of agricultural machinery for labor.
A study on labor mobility and human capital spillover
Authors: Zhang Jinghua , Wu Fangwei , Zhang Deyuan , Wang Yongmin
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper, starting from a theoretical framework, is to analyze the spillover effects of human capital brought by labor mobility and their influence on the public education investment.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the endogenous growth theory, the paper establishes a regional human capital spillover model to examine the spillover effects of human capital coming along with the regional labor mobility and the changes of public education investment decision brought by the spillover effects in China.

Findings

It has been found that the regional mobility of labor has made the developed areas gain the spillover benefits of human capital investment from the underdeveloped areas with their superiority of social and economic environment and restrained the incentives for public education investment in the underdeveloped areas, thus the different areas walk on a different growth path, with the expansion of the difference in the economic and education investment growth.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the possible influences from the spillover of human capital on the economic growth and educational investment and finds a high possibility for the underdeveloped areas to get into a “low development trap” of education investment. The key to solving the problem is to internalize the externalities by the active public policy, in order to realize equal education, rational investment and balanced development.
Entrepreneurship and innovation: the case of Yangtze River Delta in China
Authors: Zheng Jianghuai , Hu Zhining , Wang Jialing
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of entrepreneurship in the process of enhancing economic innovation in the Yangtze River Delta of China.

Design/methodology/approach

A system of simultaneous‐dynamic panel equations is developed that incorporates the relationships between entrepreneurship, human capital (HC) and research and development (R&D) expenditures. Then, the generalized methods of moment approach designed by Arellano and Bond is applied to estimate this system and investigate whether there is a possibility to promote innovation through the channel of entrepreneurship in the Delta.

Findings

The empirical results reveal a significant relationship between entrepreneurship and HC, but insignificant relationship between R&D expenditures and entrepreneurship in the Delta.

Research limitations/implications

The Delta has a potential to transform its growth strategy due to its HC endowment as an antecedent of innovation, but entrepreneurs and local governments should seek more opportunities to exploit and strengthen their R&D base in the Delta.

Originality/value

In order to find an effective remedy for the current downturn in the Delta, this paper studies the role of entrepreneurship and assesses the potential that the Delta has in carrying out an innovation‐based growth strategy.
Acquisition of tacit marketing knowledge
Authors: Yuan Wang Karen , Li‐Hua Richard , Xu Er‐Ming
Published: May 2009

Purpose

Focusing on entrepreneurship in China's emerging economy, this paper aims to explore the extent to which the human capital and social capital of Chinese entrepreneurs facilitates their acquisition of tacit marketing knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

Observation and literature review are presented.

Findings

The paper proposes a conceptual framework that links tacit marketing knowledge and entrepreneurs' human and social capital. When accessibility of the general knowledge of expertise and professional business in a society is low, Chinese entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) thus depend on their own resources of human capital and abilities of social capital to acquire tacit knowledge. Both specific and general human capitals facilitate Chinese entrepreneurs' acquisition of tacit marketing knowledge. With a strong awareness of the low level of institutional trust in the current transition economy, Chinese entrepreneurs develop the interpersonal trusting relationship to gain social support. Through the trust and trustworthiness, the quality of relationships in business networks creates the personal relational resource for tacit knowledge reciprocity.

Originality/value

This paper fills the gap in the literature by identifying critical intervening components of human and social capitals in the entrepreneurship process in China's emerging market knowledge which have previously remained untouched. The key issues of how Chinese entrepreneurs of private SMEs initially acquire knowledge‐based resources to operate their businesses are critically proposed.
Climatic changes and groundwater resources in Africa
Authors: Anwar Al‐Gamal Samir , Sokona Youba , Dodo Abdel‐Kader
Published: May 2009

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the impacts of climate changes on groundwater resources in the African continent in which groundwater components constitute one of the most indispensable resources for development.

Design/methodology/approach

Observed data are used for the first time to illustrate the manifested impacts of climate changes on the groundwater resources either directly or indirectly, this includes the comparison between isoheytal maps as well as water level data versus time.

Findings

The results of the analysis suggest that climate change is likely to impact groundwater resources, either directly, e.g. via changing precipitation patterns, or indirectly, e.g. through the interaction of changing precipitation patterns via changing land‐use practices and water demand. These changes may concern both groundwater quantity and quality. Climate change will affect groundwater recharge rates, i.e. the renewable groundwater resource, and groundwater levels. Any decrease in groundwater recharge will exacerbate the effect of sea‐level rise. In inland aquifers, a decrease in groundwater recharge can lead to saltwater intrusion of neighbouring saline aquifers, and increased evapotranspiration in semi‐arid and arid regions may lead to the salinisation of shallow aquifers.

Originality/value

In Africa, climate change and variability have the potential to impose additional pressures on water availability, water accessibility and water demands which will directly be impacted on eradicating poverty as a direct consequence of climate changes on sustainable development in Africa. A more refined understanding from specialists should be addressed to raise public and stakeholder awareness in this respect.
The need for adaptive strategic planning
Authors: Mirfenderesk Hamid , Corkill David
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of developing an adaptive strategy to address the impact of climate change in the context of flooding.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses flood risk and highlights the need for an adaptive strategic plan for flood risk management under the impact of climate change. It introduces a framework for the development of an adaptive strategic plan. The paper identifies organizational issues (at the local government scale) associated with having an adaptive strategic plan and developing a methodology to address these issues. It also identifies the need for a strategic decision support system (SDSS) and conceptualizing the system in order to support adaptive planning principle.

Findings

This study identifies lack of adaptability as a gap in traditional strategic planning for addressing flood risk associated with climate change. An adaptive strategic plan has adequate flexibility, promptness and responsiveness to adapt itself to new realities as they emerge and can sustain itself and remain relevant in a changing environment. The study introduces a SDSS that is necessary to support the adaptive element of an adaptive strategic plan.

Originality/value

This study distinguishes between a strategy for adaptation and an adaptive strategy. Most research on the topic of adaptation to climate change have been focused on developing strategies that offer adaptive solutions to pressing problems such as flooding. For instance, they may recommend more investment on non‐structural methods for flood mitigation, as they are more adaptive than alternative structural methods and therefore more sustainable under climate change. An issue that has attracted less attention is the fact that the strategic plans themselves (or in a sense the decision‐making framework) need to be equally adaptive. Some of public institutions do not have adequate flexibility and promptness to change and rectify high‐level strategic plans. The study identifies the lack of an SDSS, which allows new scientific findings to be converted to new policies in a short period of time, as a reason for absence of promptness, responsiveness and flexibility in such organizations. This study makes an attempt to address this issue by suggesting a frame work that will enable a government institution to become more responsive to change.
Reduction of GHG emissions by geological storage of CO2
Authors: Gunter W.D. , Bachu Stefan , Buschkuehle Maja , Michael Karsten , Ordorica‐Garcia Guillermo , Hauck Tyler
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and characterize a geological storage site at more than 800 m depth that is capable of storing large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Alberta Basin and is close to a large CO2 supply.

Design/methodology/approach

Five criteria are used to select the site: total volume of the pore space of the formation for CO2 (i.e. capacity); accessibility of the pore space in the storage site to CO2 (i.e. permeability or injectivity); ability of the storage site to retain the CO2 once the CO2 has been injected (i.e. containment); protection of other resources from contamination; and cost of the whole process: capture of the CO2, transport and storage (i.e. economics).

Findings

The Heartland Redwater Leduc Reef is identified as a site that has large capacity, good injectivity, and is an excellent trap. Contamination of the oil in the oil reservoir at the top of the reef (the third largest oil reservoir in Canada) is avoided by co‐optimizing CO2 storage and oil production.

Practical implications

The Heartland Redwater Leduc Reef is ideally located at relatively shallow depth (1,000‐1,200 m), has a large amount of residual oil and is close to large CO2 sources which make it one of the most economically attractive sites in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

Originality/value

The Heartland Redwater Leduc Reef Saline Aquifer CO2 Capture and Geological Storage Project (HARP) is investigating the technical and economic feasibility of injecting significant volumes of CO2 into the large water‐saturated portion of a huge Devonian reef that is capped by a comparatively small oil reservoir, nevertheless the third largest oil pool in Canada. The reef has a total areal extent of nearly 600 km3, is more than 1,000 m deep and is up to 275 m thick. Based on the high‐water injectivity in the reef, the potential exists to inject sustainably in excess of 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per day per well in the aquifer portion of the reef. Preliminary storage capacity estimates for the aquifer are in the order of one gigatonne of CO2. The Heartland Redwater Leduc Reef has the combination of a large oil reservoir sitting on top of a much larger local aquifer. This is a unique site for storage in Canada and could be a model for the rest of the world for carbon dioxide capture and storage.
Integrating local perspectives into climate change decision making in rural areas of the Canadian prairies
Authors: Patiño Lorena , Gauthier David A.
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodological approach to assist and prepare rural community members to make policy makers better aware of their information needs.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological approach developed in this study both combines sequences of mapping presentations and small group discussions, based on ethnographic findings and climate change scenarios and also supports the integration of local and scientific knowledge in an effort to build upon local community members understanding of climate change. Participatory mapping sessions are designed and implemented in three rural communities of the Canadian prairies.

Findings

The application of the methodological approach developed in this study results in a set of rural community recommendations, relevant to policy makers, in an effort to ameliorate the potential future impacts of climate change at the local community level.

Originality/value

The need for developing venues capable of integrating the multiple dimensions (e.g. social, economic, biophysical); the multiple realities (e.g. rural community members, scientific community members); and the multiple modes of inquiry (e.g. qualitative, quantitative) involved in climate change vulnerability and adaptation.
Effects of banks on “debt‐sensitive” small businesses
Authors: Berger Allen N. , Ostromogolsky Philip
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify which small businesses are most “debt sensitive”, or most likely to be affected by banking market conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

For the primary debt sensitivity categories, the paper hypothesizes that bank conditions are most likely to have significant effects on firms in size classes and industries that are “on the bubble” for credit availability (probability of credit close to 0.50), rather than those with “relatively easy” or “relatively difficult” access to credit (probability much higher or lower, respectively). The secondary classifications also require that loans fund a substantial proportion of assets for the firms in the category that have loans. These hypotheses are tested using a comprehensive data set of US small businesses by size class and industry matched with variables measuring bank market power, market structure, and efficiency in the firm's local markets.

Findings

Findings show that the data are consistent with the hypotheses, with the strongest support for the hypotheses occurring using the secondary classifications. In terms of policy implications, the findings suggest that the credit availability of small, debt‐sensitive firms may be reduced by within‐market mergers that increase concentration in rural markets, but that the more common type of recent consolidation – creating larger banks that operate in more markets – may be associated with an increase in credit availability for these sensitive firms. Such an increase in credit availability would be magnified if consolidation resulted in increased bank operating efficiency.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into the effect of banks on “debt‐sensitive” small businesses.
A (partial) resolution of the Chinese discount puzzle
Authors: Karolyi G. Andrew , Li Lianfa , Liao Rose
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in B‐share discounts across 76 Chinese stocks around an important regulatory event to understand the importance of political risk in pricing stocks in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

On February 19, 2001, the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission announced that Chinese residents would be allowed to own B‐share classes of stocks traded on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets. These share classes were previously restricted to foreign investors while domestic residents were only permitted to hold A‐share classes of stock and were typically priced at a significant discount. This regulatory change triggered a dramatic decline of prevailing B‐share discounts from 80 percent down to 40 percent.

Findings

The paper finds that the largest declines in the B‐share discounts around this regulatory event are concentrated in the firms with low government ownership stakes and are unrelated to the firms' risks, relative supplies of shares outstanding and liquidity attributes.

Research limitations/implications

This surprising finding challenges the current wisdom about what influences the B‐share discount and particularly the role of political risk in explaining the discount puzzle.

Originality/value

The paper offers an alternative interpretation for the B‐share discount puzzle. The findings have important implications for China's future financial liberalization policies.
Do markets “discipline” all banks equally?
Authors: Santos Joa˜o A.C.
Published: May 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the bond market disciplines all banks equally, in the sense of demanding the same relative risk premium across banks of different risk over the business cycle.

Design/methodology/approach

To test this hypothesis, the paper compares the difference between the credit spreads in the primary market of bank and firm bonds with the same credit rating issued during expansions with that same difference of spreads for bonds issued during recessions.

Findings

The paper finds that during recessions investors demand higher risk premiums. Importantly, the paper finds that the impact of recessions is not uniform across banks – it affects riskier banks more than safer ones. In other words, in recessions investors are relatively more demanding on riskier banks than on safer ones.

Originality/value

These findings are novel. They also have important policy implications because they show that a bond‐issuance policy aimed at promoting market discipline could affect the relative funding costs of banks over the business cycle. They also indicate that the information which can be extracted from the credit spreads on bank bonds varies across banks for reasons unrelated to their risk.
In young men, a moderate inhibition of testosterone synthesis capacity is only partly compensated by increased activity of the pituitary and the hypothalamus
Authors: Woerdeman Jorn , Kaufman Jean‐Marc , De Ronde Willem
Published: May 2009

Context  The classical interpretation of the feedback regulation of the male hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal axis predicts that a partial inhibition of testosterone (T) synthesis will result in a compensatory rise in LH secretion. The question arises as to whether such a compensation is complete or that decreased T synthesis may result in a lower plasma T concentration.

Objective  To investigate whether a moderate inhibition of T synthesis capacity will be fully compensated by increased LH secretion.

Design, subjects and interventions  In nine young healthy men, we partially inhibited T synthesis capacity using ketoconazole (KTZ) 100 mg four times daily. On day –6 (1 week prior to KTZ intake), days 1 and 8 of KTZ administration blood was drawn [07:00 h (t1), 10:00 h (t2), 13:00 h (t3)] for evaluation of T, LH, oestradiol (E2), 17‐OH‐progesterone (17OHP), progesterone (PR) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). On day 8, 5000 IU of hCG were administered to evaluate the maximal T secretion under KTZ.

Results  Administration of KTZ resulted in an acute, moderate but significant decrease of plasma T concentration. On day 8, plasma LH, 17OHP and PR were elevated relative to day –6 and day 1, but mean T was still lower compared to day –6. Mean E2 and SHBG were only slightly affected by KTZ. After stimulation by hCG, plasma T was restored to its baseline level.

Conclusion  These results argue against the assumption that a moderate decline in T synthesis capacity will be compensated completely by increased LH secretion.
Hormonal therapy and sex reassignment: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of quality of life and psychosocial outcomes
Authors: Murad Mohammad Hassan , Elamin Mohamed B. , Garcia Magaly Zumaeta , Mullan Rebecca J. , Murad Ayman , Erwin Patricia J. , Montori Victor M.
Published: May 2009

Objective  To assess the prognosis of individuals with gender identity disorder (GID) receiving hormonal therapy as a part of sex reassignment in terms of quality of life and other self‐reported psychosocial outcomes.

Methods  We searched electronic databases, bibliography of included studies and expert files. All study designs were included with no language restrictions. Reviewers working independently and in pairs selected studies using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted outcome and quality data. We used a random‐effects meta‐analysis to pool proportions and estimate the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We estimated the proportion of between‐study heterogeneity not attributable to chance using the I2 statistic.

Results  We identified 28 eligible studies. These studies enrolled 1833 participants with GID (1093 male‐to‐female, 801 female‐to‐male) who underwent sex reassignment that included hormonal therapies. All the studies were observational and most lacked controls. Pooling across studies shows that after sex reassignment, 80% of individuals with GID reported significant improvement in gender dysphoria (95% CI = 68–89%; 8 studies; I2 = 82%); 78% reported significant improvement in psychological symptoms (95% CI = 56–94%; 7 studies; I2 = 86%); 80% reported significant improvement in quality of life (95% CI = 72–88%; 16 studies; I2 = 78%); and 72% reported significant improvement in sexual function (95% CI = 60–81%; 15 studies; I2 = 78%).

Conclusions  Very low quality evidence suggests that sex reassignment that includes hormonal interventions in individuals with GID likely improves gender dysphoria, psychological functioning and comorbidities, sexual function and overall quality of life.
Features at diagnosis of 324 patients with acromegaly did not change from 1981 to 2006: acromegaly remains under‐recognized and under‐diagnosed
Authors: Reid Tirissa J. , Post Kalmon D. , Bruce Jeffrey N. , Nabi Kanibir M. , Reyes‐Vidal Carlos M. , Freda Pamela U.
Published: May 2009

Background  Traditionally, acromegaly evaded diagnosis until in its clinically obvious later stages when treatment is more difficult. Over the last 25 years diagnostic tests have improved, but whether clinical disease detection also improved was unknown, so we tested if disease severity at diagnosis had changed from 1981 to 2006.

Methods  Data on 324 consecutive acromegaly patients presenting from 1981 to 2006 at two New York City hospitals were collected by retrospective review (n = 324) and by interview (n = 200). The main complaint, acromegaly associated comorbidities, signs, symptoms, healthcare providers visited, preoperative GH and IGF‐I levels and pituitary tumour size at diagnosis were compared in patients presenting in the earlier vs. later halves of the time period.

Results  Times from symptom onset to diagnosis were 5·9 year (early) vs. 5·2 year (late; P = NS). At diagnosis, 96% of early and late groups had facial feature changes and/or hand/foot enlargement. Comorbidities included hypertension 37% (early) vs. 36% (late), carpal tunnel syndrome (24%vs. 24%), sleep apnoea (13%vs. 29%; P < 0·01), osteoarthritis (25%vs. 23%) and diabetes mellitus (18%vs. 15%); each patient had 1·2 (early) vs. 1·3 (late; P = 0·53) comorbidities. Groups were similar in signs, symptoms, tumour size, GH and IGF‐I.

Conclusions  Clinical, biochemical and tumour size characteristics at diagnosis of acromegaly patients were unchanged from 1981 to 2006. Most patients still have marked manifestations of acromegaly at diagnosis, suggesting that acromegaly remains clinically under‐recognized. Healthcare professionals should more commonly consider acromegaly, which can lead to earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcome.
Leptinemia and its association with stroke and coronary heart disease in the Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Liu Jiankang , Butler Kenneth R. , Buxbaum Sarah G. , Sung Jung Hye , Campbell Brenda W. , Taylor Herman A.
Published: May 2009

Background  To examine the association of increased plasma leptin concentration with prevalent stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) and to examine the genetic contributions of leptin to this association in the Jackson Heart Study cohort.

Methods  A cohort of 5170 participants aged 21–84 years who underwent Exam I during 2000–2004 was analysed. Odds ratios (OR) of prevalent stroke and CHD were calculated using a logistic regression model adjusted for age, smoking, hypertension and waist circumference (WC). Variance component analysis was used to partition the phenotypic variance of leptin into the polygenic and environmental components.

Results  The prevalence of stroke and CHD was 4·04% and 5·85% in women, and 4·88% and 8·92% in men, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) and WC were highly correlated with leptin both in men and women. In multivariate analysis stratified by sex, leptin was significantly associated with stroke (OR = 1·97, 95% CI = 1·21–3·21) in women after adjustment for age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, BMI and WC (P = 0·0079). No significant association was observed in men. Heritability of sex‐, age‐adjusted log‐transformed leptin for this cohort was 38·0% and 37·8% after further adjustment for WC and hypertension, respectively. In addition, a sibship effect was also found to be significant and explained 12·2% of the total variance of leptin (P = 0·007).

Conclusion  There is a significant association of leptin with stroke in women, which is partly influenced by the genetic factor. The findings suggest that leptinemia is an independent risk factor for stroke in African American women.