bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Production of Polyurethane Bumpers and Front and Rear Facias by RIM-Processing
Authors: Schaper Herbert
Published: March 2007

An introductory outline of the history of the RIM-bumper and facia produc tion since its initiation in 1972 is given.

The preference of PU-material is accounted by means of a material compari son with usual thermoplastics, thus, being given reasons for the current op timization work to the RIM-process. Then, today's technological manufacturing level is described by means of the modified RIM-materials as used, the process ing machines such as dosing machine, clamping-unit and mould, along with process technology, process control, preparatory work for the painting process and the painting technics themselves based on practical experience.

Finally, the future aspects of the RIM-process are discussed. Self-releasing quick-action compounds processed in high accuracy steel moulds in clamping- units providing higher pressures, will allow the RIM-process to be fully auto mated. In connection with very short cycle times, in the early nineties, a pro duction-competitive in costs with injection moulding-in industrial scale manufacture will be arrived at, in polyurethane or polyurea RIM-processing.
The Coefficient of Friction of a Polyamide/Polymethyl Methacrylate Blend System
Authors: Lee Michael C.H. , Golden Mark A.
Published: March 2007

The coefficient of friction is an important tribological property of polymer materials. In this work, values for the coefficient of friction of a polyamide (nylon 6,6)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blend system have been measured under various compressive stresses. The results show that the coeffi cient of friction of the amorphous polymer, PMMA, increases with increasing compressive stress; while the coefficient of friction of the crystalline polymer, nylon 6,6, either stays constant or decreases with increasing compressive stress. For crystalline polymers, the coefficient of friction measured parallel to the flow direction is lower than that measured perpendicular to the flow direc tion. The effect of sample orientation on the coefficient of friction of the amor phous polymer, PMMA, is insignificant. Values for the coefficient of friction of the blends measured are lower than those calculated from the additive rule for the coefficient of friction of the blend system. It is noteworthy that values for the coefficient of friction of several specific blend compositions are lower than those of the two thermoplastics. These results are in good agreement with the predictions from the tribological controlling equations developed. Based on these findings, nylon 6,6/PMMA blends with low values of the coefficient of fric tion have been successfully developed.
Tailor Made Polyester Polyurethane Elastomers for Shoe Soling
Authors: Schwab Johann , Bagaglio Giancarlo C. , Bentley J. Martin , Christfreund Annette
Published: March 2007

For nearly 20 years cellular polyurethanes have been used for shoe soling on an industrial scale. Polyurethane soling systems in large numbers are offered for different applications and shoe soling nowadays is almost unthinkable without polyurethane elastomers.
An Evaluation of Analytical Expressions for the Representation of Plastics Creep Data
Authors: Sterrett Terry , Miller Edward
Published: March 2007

Various analytical expressions were evaluated for their ability to represent plastics creep data resulting from isothermal, constant stress creep experi ments. The constants for each expression were determined by an iterative least squares analysis performed on published creep data for crystalline, amorphous, crosslinked and multiphased plastics. The expressions were ranked in order of effectivity for the representation of creep data using the sum of the squares of the residuals as the criterion of ranking. It was determined from the analysis that a simple 3 parameter parabolic function was the most accurate, as well as general expression for the analytical representation of the plastics creep data investigated. The best fit constants for the functions investigated were, in general, dependent upon stress. It was found that the extrapolation of 1 day creep data to periods of time as great as 1 year, generally led to large errors.
The Thomas and Cross Models of Psychological Nigrescence
Authors: Cross William E.
Published: March 2007

Adult Black identity change that took place within the context of the recent Black sociopolitical movement is the focus of a literature review. The review summarizes two models that depict the various stages that might be associated with the psychological metamorphosis of Black Americans and examines the empirical studies that have been conducted to test the models. Although the models seem to predict major changes in both the self- concept and reference group orientation of converts, the empirical evidence suggests that only the reference group orientation of converts was subject to permanent modification.
Research and Experimentation in Prisons
Authors: Alex Swan L.
Published: March 2007

Research and experimentation in prisons have traditionally been undertaken under the guise of deter mining the cause of criminal behavior and of develop ing approaches and programs that would assist the in mate to live more successfully in society. It is argued in this work that the prison system is inherently coercive; consequently, it is not possible for an inmate to freely consent to risky procedures to alter his/her behavior. Therefore, informed consent is a myth in the context of confinement in prison. Furthermore, research and ex perimentation that do not promote human liberation, independence, and freedom are oppressive, repressive, and destructive to human growth and the progress of society.
Teaching Children to Make Emergency Telephone Calls
Authors: Jones Russell T.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop a behavioral procedure to teach preschool children emergency dial ing and to examine its effectiveness. The behavioral procedure was administered by the classroom teacher to examine the effectiveness of teaching 4- and 5- year-old students to dial emergency telephone calls cor rectly when directed to do so by a parent. Training was conducted in a regular classroom setting. Three con ditions were compared to examine the effectiveness of the behavioral treatment strategy: (a) a behavioral procedure, (b) a teacher-devised method, and (c) a con trol group. In groups one and two, each subject was taught specific skills considered necessary in making emergency telephone calls. A component analysis for making emergency calls was carried out, and its content validity determined.
Birth Order Effects among Black College Students
Authors: Patterson Bernita L. , Tinsley Howard E. A.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between birth order, vocational choice, choice of college, and selected personality characteristics among Black college students. The 16 Personality Factors Question naire, the Assessment of Career Decision Making, and a research questionnaire were administered to a sample of 231 students enrolled in freshman orientation classes at Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana. Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences among the birth order groups. It was concluded that the validity of birth order theory for Black college students should be questioned.
A Theoretical Model of Psychosomatic Illness in Blacks and an Innovative Treatment Strategy
Authors: Mack Carl
Published: March 2007

In regard to Black people in America, the internal colonialism model makes the researcher cognizant of the phenomenon "controlled oppressed environment." In this context, Blackness, which has an obvious biological base, is a highly stress-induced stimulus because of the negative attitudes toward it. For some Blacks, this circumstance is catalytic to or evokes psychosomatic illness. It is proposed that a holistic paradigm serve as the theoretical under pinning of interventions into psychosomatic illness. A particular holistic paradigm is proposed that is built on the supposition that there is an interplay between physiologic and psychologic processes. Furthermore, it relies upon general system theory and a hierarchical conceptuali zation of the nervous system and consciousness. Based on the conceptual model, T'ai Chi Ch'uan is proposed as an appropriate holistic intervention to actively assault upon the Black individual's psychosomatic disorder.
A Cultural and Historical Perspective on Pregnancy-related Activity Among U.S. Teenagers
Authors: Washington Anita C.
Published: March 2007

This article examines data on recent changes in birth rates, sexual activity, abortion, illegitimacy, and adop tion rates among White and non-White adolescents. The social and cultural implications of the racial differences are explored, and placed within a historical framework. The author notes that the emergence of social service programs for adolescents during the past decade has co incided with the burgeoning rates of pregnancy-related activity in the White community, especially among younger teens. Suggestions are offered for developing culturally relevant intervention for Black teens and rec ommendations are made for greater involvement of civil rights and national Black organizations in the area of teenage pregnancy.
The Female in the Black Family: Dominant Mate or Helpmate?
Authors: Simms-Brown R. Jean
Published: March 2007

Two views of the Black woman as having a special posi tion, power, and dominance during and after slavery are presented. An examination of each school of thought reveals that the Black woman has been strong, but not dominant. Instead, she has been more of a "helpmate" in the family's quest for survival. In addition, the matri archal myth regarding the Black woman has been cre ated and maintained by certain psychological/historical mechanisms. It is stated that the Black woman is unique, but also has positive and negative traits as do her fellow human beings.
TV and the Black Child: What Black Children Say about the Shows They Watch
Authors: Anderson William H. , Williams Bishetta Merritt
Published: March 2007

This study assessed the impact of Black TV programs on a group of Black children in central North Carolina. Inverviews with 78 7-, 10-, and 12-year-old children concerning their TV preferences indicated a strong preference for predominantly Black programs, the most popular of which was "Good Times." After viewing a popular episode of the show, 50% of the children in dicated that the show reflected negatively on Black people. The remaining 50% thought the show made Black people look good. Older children were better than the younger children in deducing and remembering certain motives and emotions communicated by the characters. The results of the study are discussed in terms of the potential influence that Black situation commedies can have on the role-modeling, socialization, and self-esteem of Black children.
Haphazard examples, prototype theory, and the acquisition of comparatives
Authors: Gathercole Virginia C.
Published: March 2007

The 'simple' and 'intensive' hypotheses for X-er and too X are re- examined with data from children's spontaneous speech. Although the data to some extent support these hypotheses, they provide evidence that children's uses of X-er and too X extend beyond simple and intensive uses and indicate that these forms do not MEAN 'X' or 'very X' for young children. The data are best explained by drawing on two theories that have been proposed in work on the acquisition of word meanings: the Haphazard Examples Hypothesis and the theory of acquisition with a prototype.
Joint attention and lexical acquisition style
Authors: Tomasello Michael , Todd Jody
Published: March 2007

Recent research has documented systematic individual differences in early lexical development. The current study investigated the relation ship of these differences to differences in the way mothers and children regulate each other's attentional states. Mothers of 6 one-year-olds kept diary records and were videotaped with their children at monthly intervals as well. Language measures from the diary were related to measures of attention manipulation and maintenance derived from a coding of the videotaped interactions. Results showed that when mothers initiated interactions by directing their child's attention, rather than by following into it, their child learned fewer object labels and more personal-social words. Dyads who maintained sustained bouts of joint attentional focus had children with larger vocabularies overall. It was concluded that the way mothers and children regulate each other's attention is an important factor in children's early lexical development.
Recasting and related conversational techniques for triggering syntactic advances by young children
Authors: Baker Nancy D. , Nelson Keith E.
Published: March 2007

In 'recast' replies in conversation a first utterance is recast or re displayed in a changed sentence structure that still refers to the central meanings of the first sentence. Two intervention studies were conducted to explore the effects of recasting on children's language acquisition. The two subjects in Study One were ages 3;5 and 3;10 with MLUs of 4.81 and 4.23. The six subjects in Study Two ranged in age from 2;6 to 3;2 with MLUs of 3.07 to 4.17. Syntactic forms targeted for input intervention using recasts and related replies were the passive transformation, relative clauses, and non-used auxiliaries. All but one child acquired use of at least two targeted forms, with some producing more. In addition, the children used the passive with complexity and semantic variability comparable to passive use by children much older than themselves. It is argued that recasting is one powerful conver sational means for enhancing the young child's attention to and analysis of to-be-acquired syntactic structures. Moreover, it is concluded that most 31/2- to 4-year-olds may be cognitively ready to acquire passives and many other complex structures, but that success in analysing and producing these structures hinges upon the availability in input of at least a small number of the target forms embedded in salient ways (e.g., as recasts) in discourse.
The social-interactional context of maternal speech to infants: an explanation for the event-bound nature of early word use?
Authors: Harris Margaret , Jones David , Grant Julia
Published: March 2007

Eight mother-infant pairs were videotaped in a longitudinal study. Analysis of relations between maternal speech and the contiguous nonverbal context revealed that the pattern of close correspondence between conversational topic and context, which had emerged at nine months, persisted at sixteen months, with the majority of changes in topic being in response to an action carried out by the child. A large proportion of maternal utterances continued to refer to objects and activities which were at the child's focus of attention; although, at sixteen months, mothers less often accompanied comments on the child's activity with supporting actions of their own. These findings are discussed in the light of studies of early lexical development.
Learning to speak Greenlandic: a case study of a two-year-old's morphology in a polysynthetic language
Authors: Fortescue Michael
Published: March 2007

Child language acquisition data for Greenlandic Eskimo, a highly polysynthetic and morphophonologically complex language, promise to be the source of interesting evidence for general theories of the acquisition of morphological processes. The child in the pilot study here discussed appears already at the age of 2;3 to have mastered the use of a great number of derivational and inflectional affixes together with the morphohonemic patterns for their attachment to different stem types and to other affixes (up to at least four or five following the stem). This presents problems for traditional MLU calculations and calls for clearer criteria of morpheme productivity than may suffice for more analytical languages.
The effect of variation in sentence length on young children's attention and comprehension
Authors: George Barbara L. , Tomasello Michael
Published: March 2007

The effect of sentence length on children's attention and com prehension was studied. Twenty-five two- to five-year-olds were placed into three groups, High, Middle, and Low, based on their mean length of utterance (MLU). Subsequently, each child watched three videotaped stories, each having the same number of words but a different MLU. The time the child spent gazing at the monitor was measured. Comprehension was measured by a picture choice task. Results indicated that the High group attended most to the Long Level, comprehended obvious content best at the Long Level, and comprehended subtle content best at the Medium Level; the Low group attended most to the Medium Level and comprehended little. It was concluded that both input level and child level differentially affect attention and comprehension.
Communicative gestures and early sign language acquisition
Authors: Folven Raymond J. , Bonvillian John D. , Orlansky Michael D.
Published: March 2007

The gestural (non-sign) communication and symbolic functioning of 13 children who were acquiring Amercian Sign Language as a first language were compared with existing data for children learning a spoken language. Two communicative gestures, Giving and Com municative Pointing, were the strongest gestural correlates of lexicon size for both spoken and sign languages. However, whereas first referential words typically appear after the onset of Giving and Pointing, the initial sign productions of the children in the present study preceded the onset of Giving and Pointing. These children also attained various linguistic milestones at earlier levels of symbolic play maturity than did children learning to speak. These results suggest that the early stages of the acquisition of a visuomotor language and a spoken language emerge from the same communicative bases, but that certain linguistic capacities may be present earlier than generally has been recognized.
French preschoolers' use of et pis ('and then')
Authors: Jisa Harriet
Published: March 2007

This research proposes a taxonomy for evaluating children's uses of sentence connectives. It is used to examine et pis ('and then') in the speech of monolingual French children ranging in age from 3 to 5 years and participating in a classroom-based 'show and tell' session. The younger children are shown to encode a wider variety of logico- semantic relations with et pis. The older children narrow down the range of logico-semantic relations encoded by et pis and show an increase in other structures which accomplish the same tasks.
In, on, under: an essay on the modularity of infant spatial competence
Authors: Van Geert Paul
Published: March 2007

According to current standard theory, children acquire a preverbal conceptual organization of spatial relations. In learning spatial re lations words, children are assumed to employ their spatial relational concepts in order to fill in the meaning of the words. The present paper offers an alternative, modular conception. The content, form and manifestation of spatial knowledge are different for the three main cognitive modules, namely perception, action and language. An over view of experimental research on early space perception and action is presented, showing that knowledge in one module cannot account for knowledge in the other. Finally, a longitudinal study of in, on and under use in one child between the ages of 1;9ms and 2;9ms is pre sented. It is argued that the data support a modular view according to which the child learns language specific rules for the lexical distribution of the prepositions. These rules are not based on simple preverbal spatial relations concepts.
Linear organization of spatial instructions: development of comprehension and production
Authors: Waller Glenn
Published: March 2007

Spatial instructions can be linearly ordered so that the sequence in which landmarks are mentioned corresponds to the spatial ordering of those landmarks en route. Two experiments were performed to in vestigate the ability of children to utilize and to produce such linearity in receiving and giving spatial instructions. Children were shown to be able to use highly linear instructions by four years, but were able to reorganize less orderly input only by seven years. It was suggested that this ability might be related to the ability to identify relevant locative prepositions. There was also a development in the ability to 'make allowances' for the ability of the listener, with older children (eight years) producing instructions that were suited to the skills of the other child. It is suggested that this demonstrates a development of com prehension of the cognitive and linguistic skills of others.
A longitudinal investigation of gender differences in language and reading development
Authors: Wolf Maryanne , Gow David
Published: March 2007

A four-year longitudinal investigation of gender differences in highly specified linguistic and reading operations in 87 children was con ducted in the period before, during, and after reading acquisition. A central focus is the development of automatization within these operations. Results indicate a clear distinction between a sustained male advantage in vocabulary and semantic processess and an early female advantage in rate for basic language and reading processing. The findings point to different, gender-influenced sequences in reading acquisition by some females and males. The relationship between these findings and the predominance of males with early reading failure is hypothesized.
General developmental patterns and individual differences in the acquisition of copula and auxiliary be forms
Authors: Kuczaj Stan A.
Published: March 2007

Children's acquisition of copula and auxiliary be forms was investigated in order to assess the notion that syntactic development proceeds in a specific to general fashion, with initial specific acquisitions gradually evolving into general productive ones. The results support this view of syntactic development, and highlight the need for more careful con sideration of individual differences in syntactic development.
Language and deafness
Authors: Wood David
Published: March 2007

This presentation begins with a brief discussion of some of the political, theoretical and methodological problems involved in the study of language development in pre-lingually deaf children. After an overview of the pre-verbal stages of development, it moves on to consider aspects of the structure of English grammar that create specific problems for deaf children and considers these in the light of research into the language development of hearing children. Studies of literacy in deaf children are discussed and explanations sought for the characteristic 'errors' that many children make in reading and writing and for the strategies they adopt in reading. Finally, some of the complex explanations given for the nature and origins of deaf children's language-learning problems are explored. The discussion ends with a brief critical description of the 'typical' structure and content found in linguistic interactions between teachers of the deaf and their pupils in school.
Keeping it in context: strategies for enhancing literacy awareness
Authors: Hayden H.M.R. , Fagan W.T.
Published: March 2007

Joint book reading is an integral part of family life for many children and has been considered significant in influencing subsequent success in literacy development. More needs to be known about how parents and children interact in a joint book situation. Do parents interact dif ferently with preschool children who have reached a higher level of literacy development versus children who are less aware of print? This study was designed to investigate how parents of high and low print aware children contextualize stories for them in terms of their prior knowledge. The sample consisted of 27 children and 40 parents. A familiar or favourite story and an unfamiliar story were read by each participating adult to his/her child. Tape recordings of the readings were transcribed and analysed descriptively to determine instances of contextualization. A Concept About Print test indicated the children's level of literacy development. Results indicated that High Print Aware children and their parents contextualized textual information within their own background experiences more frequently than did parents of Low Print Aware children and the Low Print Aware children them selves. Familiarity of text was more frequently a vehicle for con textualization.
The connective AND as discourse glue
Authors: Peterson Carole , McCabe Allyssa
Published: March 2007

Children's use of the connective and during narration was studied. Semantic analyses of the relationships between connected sentences showed that and is heavily used for a range of meanings, including those for which more specific connectives (such as causal or temporal ones) would be more appropriate. Few differences were found bet ween juxtaposed narrative sentences that had no connective and those that were joined by and. It was concluded that semantic relationship is not an adequate explanation for why and is used. Rather, pragmatic functions seem to be important: and is more commonly used when the child is producing thematically related speech (i.e., within versus between narratives) and is associated with longer conversational turns. And seems to function as a generalized signal of cohesion between sentences and an indication that the narrator's conversational turn is not over.
Young children's polyadic conversation monitoring skills
Authors: Forrester Michael A.
Published: March 2007

Child language has been largely concerned with language develop ment in 'dyadic'context. Pre-school children's triadic and polyadic language skills, linguistic and social interactional skills necessary for interacting with more than two people, were identified and examined. Third party (or person) reference is considered, as an intrinsically triadic language form. Utilizing third party reference in a videotaped setting, the first study examines 3;5- to 4;5-aged children's responses to name overhearing and identifies a non-random response pattern indi cative of conversation monitoring ability. The second study looking at three age groups (2;5 to 5;5) examines the development of this ability and investigates reasons for the response pattern observed. The results identify a transitional stage, linking conversation monitoring with group conversational participation, and are discussed with reference to the role of overhearing.
Reading-disabled children's conversational participation in dispute episodes with peers
Authors: Donahue Mavis , Prescott Barbara
Published: March 2007

One fertile site for exploring the intersection between language development and social cognition is children's ability to resolve social conflict. This study examined children's conversational participation during dispute episodes that occurred during a group decision-making task with peers. Triads of children in grades 1 and 2 were told to reach a group consenus about their ratings of possible gifts for their class. When disputes occurred, children with reading problems were less likely than normal readers to make the 'winning move,' i.e., their opinions were less likely to be accepted by their partners. The implica tions of these findings for children's conversational development and social acceptance are discussed.
Promises: words or deeds?
Authors: Astington Janet W.
Published: March 2007

Although young children perform speech acts, they do not have a concept of the speech act that older children acquire, and they are not aware of the role that language plays in social interaction. This meta- pragmatic understanding is particularly important for the speech act of promising, since promises are self-referential. Two experiments that investigated children's understanding of promising are reported. In the first, 5- to 11-year-olds had to choose pictures to illustrate sen tences containing expressions of intention or promises; 5-year-olds did not distinguish between the speech act and the action predicated in the speech act. In the second experiment 6- to 10-year-olds had to answer questions following brief stories; 6-year-olds were less likely than older children to say that the promise is the reason for performing a promised action, and 6-year-olds were more likely to focus on events than on language in deciding whether a promise was kept or broken.
Temporal patterning of cry and non-cry sounds in the first eight months of life
Authors: Stark Rachel E.
Published: March 2007

Cry and non-cry vocalizations produced by two normal infants in the reflexive, pleasure voicing, and/or expansion periods of vocal develop ment were examined and compared with respect to different aspects of temporal patterning. Overall series duration and number of breath groups per series were significantly greater for cry than later emerging non-cry vocalizations. In spite of this developmental discontinuity, the temporal structure of non-cry resembled that of cry in many respects. The subtle differences in temporal patterning that were also detected may relate to physiological stress factors present only in cry. They suggest a partial reorganization of vocalization at the onset of pleasure voicing, possibly reflecting the maturation of higher level central nervous system nuclei.
Learning to use compounds for contrast: data from Hebrew
Authors: Berman Ruth A. , Clark Eve V.
Published: March 2007

This study investigated children's ability to produce compounds by asking them to label contrasting subcategories (e.g., tea-pot vs coffee- pot) as distinct from generic categories (e.g. pot, chair). Sixty Hebrew- speaking children, aged 2;0 to 7;4, and 12 adults, answered three questions about each of a series of picture-sets. The first question checked their ability to understand novel compound (noun-noun) labels for a subcategory, and everyone did very well on this. The next two questions elicited labels for a further subcategory and the perti nent generic or basic category. Adults and older children produced compound nouns as labels for subcategories, and favoured one-word labels for generic categories. Two- and three-year-olds produced mostly inappropriate, one-word labels for both levels of categories. But children's subcategory labels, whether compounds or nouns with relative clause or prepositional phrase adjuncts, consistently included a dimension of contrast, while their generic category labels mentioned the absence of such a dimension. These findings suggest that children early on recognize contrasts among subcategories and between these and generic level categories, but that it takes them some time to learn to produce the appropriate linguistic devices.
Proper name usage: mother-child interactions with language-impaired and non-language-impaired children
Authors: Conti-Ramsden Gina
Published: March 2007

The use by adults of third person forms, especially proper names, to address their children and to refer to themselves has been a feature of parentese which has incited debate as to what motivates these speech adjustments. Some researchers continue to support the posi tion that this adjustment like others is facilitative for the learning of language while others have argued that it is a source of confusion and inconsistency for the child. The present investigation attempts to study these two possible avenues of interpretation by investigating ten mother-child dyads, five with language-impaired children and five with normal language learners of the same language stage in two situations: a teaching situation and a play situation.
The Effects on Parameter Estimation of Correlated Dimensions and a Distribution-Restricted Trait in a Multidimensional Item Response Model
Authors: Batley Rose-Marie , Boss Marvin W.
Published: March 2007

This study was designed to assess the effects on parameter estimation of correlated dimensions and a distribution-restricted trait on one dimension using a two-dimensional item response theory model. Multidimensional analysis of simulated two-dimensional item response data fitting a multi dimensional two-parameter logistic item response theory model (McKinley & Reckase, 1983a; Reckase & McKinley, 1991) was done using the program MIRTE (Carlson, 1987). Six datasets (2 trait distri butions x 3 levels of correlation between dimen sions) of 2,000 trait vectors over 104 items were generated. Each dataset was analyzed and repli cated 100 times. Trait and item parameters generally were recovered adequately in the datasets in which both traits were normally distributed over the full range. In the datasets with a restricted range of trait level on the second dimension, recovery of the trait and item parameters was affected adversely. The results indicated that MIRTE recovers the struc ture of a multidimensional correlated space better than reported in earlier studies, especially when items are multidimensional.
Rule Enforcement among Peers: A Lateral Control Regime
Authors: Lazega Emmanuel
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of control among peers. Drawing on a network study of a medium-sized Northeastern U.S. corporate law firm, this work shows that partners — all formally equal and locked in a cooperative situation — have developed an informal `lateral control regime' to help protect their common interests against free loading due to individual expressive problems. This regime helps peers exercise early monitoring and sanctioning by reducing costs of control. It maintains low costs through appropriate use of social resources or `relationships' between members. Sanctioners are chosen because they are structurally close to the infractors, but often also because they are relatively more powerful. Some of the costs of control are shown to be shifted to partners with a specific form of status within the firm, that of uncontroversial `protectors of the common good'. These main sanctioners help prevent situations in which infractors would be reserved preferential treatment because they control resources too important to their close partners.
Transaction Cost and Resource-Based Explanations of Joint Ventures: A Comparison and Synthesis
Authors: Tsang Eric W.K.
Published: March 2007

Transaction cost theory has been the dominant theoretical lens used in the study of joint ventures. The purpose of this paper is to explain the formation of joint ventures from the resource-based perspective and to compare this perspective with transaction cost theory. By focusing on the cost aspect of a transaction, the transaction cost logic explains joint ventures in terms of market failure for intermediate inputs, asset specificity, and high uncertainty over specifying and monitoring performance. Putting more emphasis on the benefit side of a transaction, resource-based theory regards joint ventures as a means of exploiting and developing a firm's resources. The transaction cost and resource-based explanations are, to a certain extent, complementary. Taking the stance of theoretical pluralism, an attempt is made to synthesize the two theories into a more comprehensive perspective which takes both costs and benefits into account.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Technical and Organizational Uncertainty in Management Theory
Authors: Weitz Ely , Shenhaav Yehouda
Published: March 2007

This study examines the rise of discourse on uncertainty in management during th period 1879-1932. It offers quantitative empirical analyses that are based on primary data collected from the American Machinist and the Engineering Magazine, the central sources of documentation on management during this period. The research provides a critical interpretation of the emergence of uncertainty discourse by linking it to professional, cultural and social forces. The empirical findings lend strong empirical support for the `professionalization' and the `labour unrest' arguments. The implications for contemporary organization theory are discussed.
The Evolution of Collective Strategies among Organizations
Authors: Barnett William P. , Mischke Gary A. , Ocasio William
Published: March 2007

Many organizations are made up of other organizations that have decided to act collectively as with research and development consortia, industrial alliances, trade associations, and formal political coalitions. These collective organizations can be characterized by their differing strategies: some are general in scope, while others specialize on a more narrow purpose. What explains the prevalence of generalism and specialism among collective organizations? We develop an ecological model in which collective organizations compete over member organizations. Assuming that an organization joins a collective when its objectives match that of the collective, our model predicts a generalism bias in the ecology of founding and growth among collective organizations. This outcome is predicted to be path dependent, however, emerging over time according to relatively minor differences in initial conditions. These predictions are supported in an analysis of founding and growth rates among US R&D consortia, and the model helps to account for the numbers, sizes, and strategic diversity of these consortia.
Custom Service: Application and Tests of Resource-Partitioning Theory among Dutch Auditing Firms from 1896 to 1992
Authors: Boone Christophe , Brdcheler Vera , Carroll Glenn R.
Published: March 2007

This article examines resource-partitioning theory in organizational ecology in the context of the Dutch auditing industry. The theory predicts that under certain conditions, specialist organizations will proliferate as the overall industry concentrates and becomes dominated by large generalist firms. Although Dutch auditing shows long-term trends towards market concentration and a burgeoning specialist sector, the professional service orientation of the industry presents some challenges for applying the theory. Accordingly, we first reconsider the theory in this new context. Using data on the life histories of (almost) all auditing firms ever to operate in the Netherlands, we also test the implications of the theory for exit rates of auditor organizations. Although we find substantial support for the basic theory, it is also apparent that resource-partitioning processes interact with regulatory changes in the institutional environment in interesting ways.
Decreasing Concentration and Reversibility of the Resource Partitioning Process: Supply Shortages and Deregulation in the Bulgarian Newspaper Industry, 1987-1992
Authors: Dobrev Stanislav D.
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the effect of decreasing industry concentration on organizational diversity and on the choice of positional strategies in the population of Bulgarian newspaper enterprises between 1987 and 1992. The results of the exit rate analysis of specialist organizations in a period of resource depletion confirm the reversibility of the resource partitioning process. In the case of post-socialist foundings spurred by deregulation, decreasing overall industry concentration is interpreted to conceal increasing concentration at the sub-industry level and points to the emergence of a second market centre. The formation of such polycentrist resource space accounts for the unexpected effect of overall diminishing industry concentration, which deters the entry of generalists and favours the start-up of specialists.
Essal: Reflections on Fiction, Representation, and Organization Studies: An Essay with Special Reference to the Work of Jorge Luis Borges
Authors: De Cock Christian
Published: March 2007

This essai examines how Borges' narrative fiction may contribute to a reconceptualization of organizational interpretation and representation, and thus complexify the thinking of both organizational theorists and practitioners. This exploration is situated against the background of an increasing awareness of the fictionality of organizational life, and a sensitivity towards the representational practices employed by organizational scholars as they seek to construct persuasive accounts of the theory and practice of organization. By pushing standard interpretative and representational practices to their limits, we can reveal their arbitrariness (and sometimes absurdity), and thus open up new positions of intelligibility. In the denatured contexts of the digital economy, Borges' fantastic fictions appear closer to temporal experience than the authoritative discourses with which mainstream organizational discourse has accustomed us.
The Threat of Failure, the Perils of Success and CEO Character: Sources of Strategic Persistence
Authors: Kisfalvi Veronica
Published: March 2007

The survival and continuing prosperity of an organization depends on its ability to remain flexible and responsive to changes in its own performance levels as well as in its environment. However, some organizations persist instead in pursuing strategies that may no longer be appropriate and that can at times turn out to be disastrous. There are two related streams of explanations for this phenomenon: those that see inappropriate strategic persistence as a possible response to potential failure (escalating commitment to a chosen course of action) and those that see it as a possible outcome of success (the perils of success or excellence). Based on findings from a case study, this article argues that the strategist's character-based personal issues can also contribute to strategic persistence.
Research Note: CEO Locus of Control and Small Firm Performance
Authors: Boone Christophe , De Brabander Bert , Hellemans Johan
Published: March 2007

Boone et al. (1996) reported that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) locus of control was significantly associated with profitability in a cross-sectional study of 39 small firms. As the authors could not rule out the possibility that firm performance causes an internal locus of control rather than the other way around, a follow-up study was performed to provide us with a possible clarification of the direction of causation. We traced the life history of each of these 39 firms and analyzed the relationship between locus of control and long-run organizational survival. We found that 21 percent of the 39 firms studied in Boone et al. (1996) went bankrupt within 6 years. Among the CEOs classified as internals, only 1 company failed (1 out of 14), whereas among the external CEOs 45 percent did not survive (5 out of 11). We also found that the differences between internal and external CEOs were only observable for firms that were relatively unprofitable in 1990-1991, indicating that short-term performance shields the companies from subsequent bankruptcy. We conclude that our findings suggest that CEO locus of control is an important predictor of small firm performance.
Redirecting Critique in Postmodern Organization Studies: The Perspective of Foucault
Authors: Chan Andrew
Published: March 2007

Foucault's concepts of freedom and resistance are examined to determine how they may feed into theorizing the Kantian `question of the present' for postmodern organizational analysis. This paper takes a measure of how reflexivity and creative self-representation materialize change in the ways critique is advanced in organization studies
If Ethics is the Answer, You are Asking the Wrong Questions. A Reply to Martin Parker
Authors: Thompson Paul , Smith Chris , Ackroyd Stephen
Published: March 2007

In OS Volume 20/1 Martin Parker contributed an article, `Capitalism, Subjectivity and Ethics: Debating Labour Process Analysis', in which he examined two camps within the UK labour process debate, and suggested the differences within both camps could be overcome by moving the debate on the labour process into the realm of moral philosophy. The two camps he identified broadly fall into materialists and post-structuralists. We have been identified as the principle exponents of the former group, and David Knights and Hugh Willmott the latter. Parker's misinterpretation of our contribution to writing on the labour process over the last decade, and our involvement with the International Labour Process Conference held in the UK over the last 17 years, requires that we try and set the record straight. The editor of OS has kindly allowed this to happen. We have tried to elucidate Parker's position as clearly as possible before indicating our objections, but readers may wish to read our reply alongside the original article
Competition between Alliance Blocks: The Case of the RISC Microprocessor Technology
Authors: Vanhaverbeke Wim , Noorderhaven Niels G.
Published: March 2007

Competition between alliance blocks is a new form of rivalry: groups of firms link together for a common purpose by means of strategic alliances, and competition between alliance blocks is superimposed on competition between individual firms. This paper focuses on alliance blocks in the RISC microprocessor field. In this field, alliance block competition is shaped by battles over technical standards. Based on an analysis of the competitive forces in standards battles, and taking into consideration the need for internal coordination within alliance blocks, we expect to find the formation of alliance blocks around the various proprietary RISC designs, with scarce linkages across blocks. The blocks will consist of complementary firms, including all the capabilities necessary to compete against other alliance blocks. The requisites of internal coordination, finally, lead us to expect alliance blocks with star-like internal structures when the central firm has either a very weak, or a very strong position. In intermediate cases, we expect to find alliance blocks with internal structures more approaching the characteristics of fully-connected cliques. The findings from a quantitative analysis of the network structure as it evolved in the RISC field in the period 1980-1989 support these conjectures.
Making Newsmakers: Conversational Identity at Work
Authors: Karreman Dan , Alvesson Mats
Published: March 2007

This paper focuses on a single event in an organization — a meeting about the news bills and their presumed sales effects on a Swedish evening newspaper. The paper has three purposes. One is (strictly) empirical and shows in detail some aspects the editorial side of newspaper publishing. We show how shared meanings and a joint identification is accomplished, facilitating newspaper editorial work. A second purpose is methodological and illustrates the option of doing in-depth studies of micro events as a way of making organizations visible. Arguably, some situations in organizations may be seen as the organization `written small' and the close and detailed interpretation of these may, if combined with sufficient back-ground and context knowledge, open up a window for a broader understanding of organizations. The third, and most significant, purpose is to develop ideas about identity and identity construction in a specific work organizational context. In particular, we take an interest in how the self-regulation of identity may suppress consideration of aspects and modes of thinking, acting and feeling that run against dominant processes of identity construction. The meeting is viewed as a vehicle for manifesting, clarifying and solidifying identity constructions through conversations around the news bills' sales capacity. The intensity of the work with identity construction is seen in the context of the work organization and production schedule, where infrequent interaction and a quick speed create a lack of possibilities for developing shared understandings and support for the decisions made. The pressure to safeguard a distinctive social identity means that there is little space for broader reflections and considerations threatening a coherent identity constructing conversation.