bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who is more susceptible to Covid-19 infection and mortality in the States?
Authors: Han Y , Li V.O.K. , Lam J.C.K. , Guo P. Y , Bai R.Q , Fok W.T.W.
Published: May 2020

Background

A novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China and reported to WHO on 31 December 2019. WHO declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. The first case in the US was reported in January 2020. Since mid-March 2020, the number of confirmed cases has increased exponentially in the States, with 1.1 million confirmed cases, and 57.4 thousand deaths as of 30 April 2020. Even though some believe that this new lethal coronavirus does not show any partiality to the rich, previous epidemiological studies find that the poor in the US are more susceptible to the epidemics due to their limited access to preventive measures and crowded living conditions. In this study, we postulate that the rich is more susceptible to Covid-19 infection during the early stage before social distancing measures have been introduced. This may be attributed to the higher mobility (both inter- and intra-city), given their higher tendency to travel for business/education, and to more social interactions. However, we postulate after the lockdown/social distancing has been imposed, the infection among the rich may be reduced due to better living conditions. Further, the rich may be able to afford better medical treatment once infected, hence a relatively lower mortality. In contrast, without proper medical insurance coverage, the poor may be prevented from receiving timely and proper medical treatment, hence a higher mortality.

Method

We will collect the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the US during the period of Jan 2020 to Apr 2020 from Johns Hopkins University, also the number of Covid-19 tests in the US from the health departments across the States. County-level socio-economic status (SES) including age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, occupation, employment status, immigration status, and housing price, will be collected from the US Census Bureau. State/county-level health conditions including the prevalence of chronic diseases will be collected from the US CDC. State/county-level movement data including international and domestic flights will be collected from the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. We will also collect the periods of lockdown/social distancing. Regression models are constructed to examine the relationship between SES, and Covid-19 infection and mortality at the state/county-level before and after lockdown/social distancing, while accounting for Covid-19 testing capacities and co-morbidities.

Expected Findings

We expect that there is a positive correlation between Covid-19 infection and SES at the state/county-level in the US before social distancing. In addition, we expect a negative correlation between Covid-19 mortality and SES.
Antibodies to SARS/CoV-2 in arbitrarily-selected Atlanta residents
Authors: Zou Jun , Bretin Alexis , Gewirtz Andrew T.
Published: May 2020

We quantitated anti-SARS/CoV-2 IgG and IgM by ELISA in self-collected blood samples (n=142) in arbitrarily-selected metro Atlanta residents, primarily acquaintances of the authors’ lab members from 4/17-4/27, 2020. Archived serum (n=34), serum from nucleic acid test (NAT)-positive subjects (n=4), and samples collected from NAT-positive community members (n=4) served to validate the assay. The range of anti-SARS/CoV-2 antibodies in archived and NAT-positive sera indicated need to compromise sensitivity or specificity. Accordingly, we set a cutoff of 4 SD above the mean for IgG and 3 SD above the mean for IgM to indicate that an individual had been exposed, and developed some degree of immunity, to SARS/CoV-2. The IgG cutoff clearly compromised sensitivity but offered high specificity, both of which were harder to gauge for IgM. Based on these cutoffs, excluding subjects whose participation resulted from self-suspected SARS/CoV-2 infection, we found 7.1% positivity for anti-SARS/CoV-2 IgG (3 of 127 subjects) or IgM (6 of 127). While we do not claim this small immune survey is broadly representative of metro Atlanta, and we have greater confidence in the IgG results, which had only 2.4% positivity, it nonetheless demonstrates that persons with antibodies to SARS/CoV-2, who’ve not suspected they’d been exposed to this virus, can readily be found in various Atlanta area neighborhoods (9 positives were in 8 zip codes). Accordingly, these results support the notion that dissemination of the virus is more widespread than testing would indicate but also suggests that most persons in metro Atlanta remain vulnerable to this virus. More generally, these results support the general utility of sero-surveillance to guide public policy but also highlight the difficulty of discerning if individuals have immunity to SARS/CoV-2.
Evaluating efficiency of pooling specimens for PCR-based detection of COVID-19
Authors: Wacharapluesadee Supaporn , Kaewpom Thongchai , Ampoot Weenassarin , Ghai Siriporn , Khamhang Worrawat , Worachotsueptrakun Kanthita , Wanthong Phanni , Nopvichai Chatchai , Supharatpariyakorn Thirawat , Putcharoen Opass , Paitoonpong Leilani , Suwanpimolkul Gompol , Jantarabenjakul Watsamon , Hemachudha Pasin , Krichphiphat Artit , Buathong Rome , Plipat Tanarak , Hemachudha Thiravat
Published: May 2020

In the age of a pandemic, such as the ongoing one caused by SARS-CoV-2, the world faces limited supply of tests, PPE and reagents, and factories are struggling to meet the growing demands. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pooling specimen for testing of SARS-CoV-2 virus, to determine whether costs and resource savings could be achieved without impacting the sensitivity of the testing. Ten specimens were pooled for testing, containing either one or two known positive specimen of varying viral concentrations. Pooling specimens did not affect the sensitivity of detecting SARS-CoV-2, and the PCR cycle threshold (Ct) between testing of pooling specimen and subsequent individual testing was not significantly different using paired t-test. This study also identified cost savings garnered from pooling of specimen for testing at 4 differing prevalence rates, ranging from 0.1-10%. Pooling specimens to test for COVID-19 infection in low prevalence areas or in low risk population can dramatically decrease the resources burden on lab operations by up to 80%. This paves the possibility for large-scale population screening, allowing for assured policy decisions by governmental bodies to ease lockdown restrictions in areas with low incidence of infection, or with lower risk populations.
Simulations of the spread of COVID-19 and control policies in Tunisia
Authors: BenMiled Slimane , Kebir Amira
Published: May 2020

We develop and analyze in this work an epidemiological model for COVID-19 using Tunisian data. Our aims are first to evaluate Tunisian control policies for COVID-19 and secondly to understand the effect of different screening, quarantine and containment strategies and the rule of the asymptomatic patients on the spread of the virus in the Tunisian population. With this work, we show that Tunisian control policies are efficient in screening infected and asymptomatic individuals and that if containment and curfew are maintained the epidemic will be quickly contained.
Comparison of two commercial molecular tests and a laboratory-developed modification of the CDC 2019-nCOV RT-PCR assay for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 from upper respiratory tract specimens
Authors: Moore Nicholas M. , Li Haiying , Schejbal Debra , Lindsley Jennifer , Hayden Mary K.
Published: May 2020

We compared the ability of 2 commercial molecular amplification assays [RealTime SARS-CoV-2 on the m2000 (Abbott) and ID NOW™ COVID-19 (Abbott)] and a laboratory-developed test [modified CDC 2019-nCoV RT-PCR assay with RNA extraction by eMag® (bioMérieux) and amplification on QuantStudio™ 6 or ABI 7500 Real-Time PCR System (Life Technologies)] to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory tract specimens. Discrepant results were adjudicated by medical record review. 200 nasopharyngeal swab specimens in viral transport medium (VTM) were collected from symptomatic patients between March 27 and April 9, 2020. Results were concordant for 167 specimens (83.5% overall agreement), including 94 positive and 73 negative specimens. The RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay on the m2000 yielded 33 additional positive results, 25 of which were also positive by the modified CDC assay but not by the ID NOW™ COVID-19 assay. In a follow-up evaluation, 97 patients for whom a dry nasal swab specimen yielded negative results by the ID NOW™ COVID-19 assay had a paired nasopharyngeal swab specimen collected in VTM and tested by the RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay; SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 13 (13.4%) of these specimens. Medical record review deemed all discrepant results to be true positives. The ID NOW™ COVID-19 test was the easiest to perform and provided a result in the shortest time: as soon as 5 minutes for positive and 13 minutes for negative result. The RealTime SARS-CoV-2 assay on the m2000 detected more cases of COVID-19 infection than the modified CDC assay or the ID NOW™ COVID-19 test.
Updated estimates of comorbidities associated with risk for COVID-19 complications based on US data
Authors: Adams Mary L. , Grandpre Joseph , Katz David L.
Published: May 2020

We updated previous estimates (wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/8/20-0679_article) of adults with any underlying condition increasing risk of complications from COVID-19 using recent US hospitalization data instead of mortality data from China. This substitutes obesity for cancer in the definition and increased the percentage of adults reporting ≥1 condition to 56.0% (95% CI 55.7-56.4). When controlled for all measures listed, factors increasing odds of reporting any of the underlying conditions include being male, older, African American, American Indian, household income <$25,000, < high school education, underinsurance, living in the South or Midwest (vs. West), plus the risk factors of ever smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption. Population-attributable risk for the listed risk factors was 13.0%, 12.6%, and 15.0% respectively. Results have potential implications for policies based on risk-stratification of the population and for improvement of risk status through lifestyle change. National support for a “health promotion” campaign would be timely.
A Second Generation Leishmanization Vaccine with a Markerless AttenuatedLeishmania majorStrain using CRISPR gene editing
Authors: Zhang Wen Wei , Karmakar Subir , Gannavaram Sreenivas , Dey Ranadhir , Lypaczewski Patrick , Ismail Nevien , Siddiqui Abid , Simonyan Vahan , Oliveira Fabiano , Coutinho-Abreu Iliano V. , DeSouza-Vieira Thiago , Meneses Claudio , Oristian James , Serfim Tiago D. , Musa Abu , Nakamura Risa , Saljoughian Noushin , Volpedo Greta , Satoskar Monika , Satoskar Sanika , Dagur Pradeep K , McCoy J Philip , Kamhawi Shaden , Valenzuela Jesus G. , Hamano Shinjiro , Satoskar Abhay , Matlashewski Greg , Nakhasi Hira L.
Published: May 2020

Leishmaniasis is a debilitating and often fatal neglected tropical disease caused byLeishmaniaprotozoa transmitted by infected sand flies. Vaccination through leishmanization with liveLeishmania majorhas been used successfully but is no longer practiced because it resulted in unacceptable skin lesions. A second generation leishmanization is described here using a CRISPR genome editedL. majorstrain (LmCen-/-). Notably,LmCen-/-is the first genetically engineered gene deletedLeishmaniastrain that is antibiotic resistant marker free and does not have any off-target mutations. Mice immunized withLmCen-/-had virtually no visible lesions following challenge withL. major-infected sand flies while non-immunized animals developed large and progressive lesions with a 2-log fold higher parasite burden.LmCen-/-immunization showed protection and an immune response comparable to leishmanization.LmCen-/-is safe since it was unable to cause disease even in immunocompromised mice, induces robust host protection against vector sand fly challenge and because it is marker free, can be advanced to human vaccine trials.
Duration analyses of precision agriculture technology adoption: what's influencing farmers' time-to-adoption decisions?
Authors: Ofori Eric , Griffin Terry , Yeager Elizabeth
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Precision technologies have been available at the farm level for decades. Some technologies have been readily adopted, while the adoption of other technologies has been slower. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing farmers' time-to-adoption decisions as duration between year of commercialization of precision agriculture (PA) technologies and year of adoption, at the farm level.

Design/methodology/approach

Time-to-adoption, which is the difference in years between technologies becoming commercially available and the year of adoption was determined using non-parametric duration analysis, and the impact of specific farm/farmer characteristics on time-to-adoption were estimated using a semi-parametric Cox proportional-hazard (CPH) model, based on a panel dataset of 316 Kansas farms from 2002 to 2018.

Findings

The findings indicate that, time-to-adoption for embodied-knowledge technologies such as automated guidance and section control were statistically shorter than for information-intensive technologies such as yield monitors, precision soil sampling and variable rate fertility. Duration was indirectly (directly) proportional to commercialization date of embodied-knowledge (information-intensive) technology. More so, time-to-adoption statistically differed among technologies within these two broad categories. Time-to-adoption varies across farm location and between both types of technologies. Millennial farmers are more likely to adopt both types of technologies sooner compared to baby boomers. Net farm income, percentage changes in debt-to-asset ratio, corn to total crop acres and machinery investment had no significant impact on the time-to-adoption for both information-intensive and embodied-knowledge technologies. On the other hand, while variations exist, time-to-adoption of PA technologies is mainly driven by location of farm, generation of farmer, number of workers, years of farming experience, total acres cropped and the cost of crop insurance.

Originality/value

This study investigates how the financial position of farms, amongst other important factors might influence time-to-adoption of PA technologies. Results are useful to extension personnel and retailers for planning marketing or farm outreach programs taking into consideration that, time-to-adoption differs across regions and by specific characteristics, key amongst them: generation of farmer, number of workers, years of farming experience, total acres cropped and the cost of crop insurance.
Organizational climate and creative performance in the public sector
Authors: Mutonyi Barbara Rebecca , Slåtten Terje , Lien Gudbrand
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine the role of organizational climate in employees’ creative performance using the public sector as an empirical context. The employees’ creative performance is divided into two entities and studied as two separate effect variables: individual creativity and individual innovative behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model is developed and tested in a survey in which employees of a public sector organization participated.

Findings

The findings indicate that organizational climate has an important role in employees’ creative performance. The organizational climate showed a positive and significant link to the two creative performance variables included in this study. Moreover, the study revealed that individual creativity mediates the relationship between organizational climate and individual innovative behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited to examining the role of organizational climate on two creative performance variables related to individual employees in the public sector. To trigger individual creativity and individual innovative behavior in the public sector, there is a need for managers to build, develop and maintain an organizational climate that supports both employees’ creativity and enthusiasm in implementing those novel and useful ideas.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first in the public sector to demonstrate the importance of organizational climate for employees’ individual creative performance. The findings of this study adds to our current knowledge and understanding of the value of organizational climate, and its influence on individual creative performance in the public sector.
Innovation and market liquidity: the case of ADRs
Authors: Lobato Manuel , Rodriguez Javier , Romero Herminio
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Patents and patent citations provide a solid signal to investors about a firm’s innovation agenda. This signal can be even more useful for investors demanding securities from foreign firms, given the asymmetric information and adverse selection risk they face. This study aims to examine the patenting activities in the USA performed by non-US companies that trade as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) in US stock markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the effect on the trading volume of a sample of ADRs following the publication of their first patent in the USA.

Findings

The results show that the publication of a first patent has no effect on the liquidity of these ADRs when compared with same-country ADRs without patents.

Originality/value

This study enriches the literature on the relation between innovation, information and the stock market.
Elements impacting the utilization expectation of various health-care apps in India: a study conducted on smartphone users
Authors: Chakraborty Debarun
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to find out the impact of seven important factors towards behavior intention on various health-care applications in India. The spectacular rise of uses of smart phones in India has introduced various mobile applications in the market. The mobile applications have become very useful and popular amongst the urban consumers due to several reasons such as reducing time, effort, money, etc. Health-care applications which are used in various smart phones are still in an infancy stage in India. Health-care applications have several advantages and facilities and consumers receive few alerts or suggestions for free. Though the health-care applications have various benefits for everyone, still people are less aware of the services they provide. Fewer studies have been done on this particular subject, and people may find the apps interesting if they understand the benefits of these applications.

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to find out the impact of seven factors towards behavior intention on various health-care applications in India. The 331 samples have been chosen with the help of a structured questionnaire. The researcher has used stratified random sampling to collect the data for conducting the study, and the samples have been collected from four metro cities of India, namely, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis have been conducted to find out the most influencing factor towards intention with SPSS v 21.

Findings

The result reveals that out of seven factors, perceived usefulness, enjoyment and time are the most influencing and significant factors towards utilization expectation. The other four variables, namely, cost, increased dependability, perceived ease of use and increased protection do not have a significant impact on the dependent variable. The paper has also revealed that marketers need to penetrate the market with some innovative marketing strategies. The findings of the study is providing the hint for implementing the strategies.

Originality/value

The study is unique in the context of a country like India where no such studies on this subject have been conducted before.
Relationship between big data analytics and organisational performance of the Technical University of Kenya and Strathmore University in Kenya
Authors: Kibe Lucy Wachera , Kwanya Tom , Owano Ashah
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Big data analytics is a set of procedures and technologies that entails new forms of integration to uncover large unknown values from large data sets that are various, complex and of an immense scale. The use of big data analytics is generally considered to improve organisational performance. However, this depends on capabilities of different organisations to provide the resources required for big data analytics. This study aims to investigate the influence of big data analytics on organisational performance of Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and Strathmore University (SU).

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted as a mixed method research to enable a deep understanding of the concept. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires and interviews with clientele and information communication technology staff from the TUK and SU, both in Nairobi, Kenya. Secondary data was collected through interviews and questionnaires. Data was analysed and presented using descriptive statistics.

Findings

The findings revealed that most of the variables of organisational performance such as innovativeness, creativeness, effectiveness, productiveness and efficiency are affected positively by conducting big data analytics in both institutions. The results demonstrate that the TUK showed a negative relationship between big data analytics and competiveness and profitability while SU showed a positive relationship between the two variables. In terms of regression analysis, the findings revealed that SU showed a good relationship between independent and dependant variables while the TUK had a weak influence.

Originality/value

This study is original in terms of its subject matter, scope and application.
Developing resilient graduates to be future workplace leaders
Authors: McQuillan Nikki , Wightman Christine , Moore Cathy , McMahon-Beattie Una , Farley Heather
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Vocational higher education and skills are recognised as key factors in shaping an economy to adapt to fast-emerging business models that disrupt workplace behaviours. Employers require graduates to be “work-ready”, emphasising the need to demonstrate resilience, as a critical desired behaviour (CBI, 2019). This case study shares the integrated curriculum design, co-creation and operationalisation of “Graduate Transitions” workshops that were piloted in a compulsory final-year module across a number of programmes in a higher education institutions’ business faculty to enhance graduates “work readiness”.

Design/methodology/approach

The collaboration and leadership thinking of industry professionals, academics and career consultants designed and co-created a workshop that enhances transitioning student resilience and prepares them for their future of work. Action research gathered data using a mixed-methods approach to evaluate student and stakeholder feedback.

Findings

Evidence indicates that the workshops actively embed practical coping strategies for resilience and mindful leaders in transitioning graduates. It assures employers that employability and professional practice competencies are experienced by transitioning graduates entering the future workplace.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations to this research are clearly in the methodology and concentrating on the co-creation of an innovative curriculum design project instead of the tools to accurately evaluate the impact in a systematic manner. There was also limited time and resource to design a more sophisticated platform to collect data and analyse it with the imperative academic rigour required. Emphasis on piloting and operationalisation of the intervention, due to time and resource restrictions, also challenged the methodological design.

Practical implications

The positive feedback from these workshops facilitated integration into the curriculum at an institution-wide level. This paper shares with the academic community of practice, the pedagogy and active learning design that could be customised within their own institution as an intervention to positively influence the new metrics underpinning graduate outcomes.

Originality/value

This pioneering curriculum design ensures that employability and professional practice competencies are experienced by graduates transitioning to the workplace.
Information security awareness in a developing country context: insights from the government sector in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlMindeel Raneem , Martins Jorge Tiago
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of employee information security awareness in a government sector setting and illuminate the problems that public sector organisations in a developing context face when seeking to establish an information security awareness programme.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive research design was followed to develop an empirically enriched understanding of information security awareness perceptions, aspirations, challenges and enablers in the context of Saudi Arabia as a developing country. The study adopts a single-case study approach, including face-to-face interviews with senior employees, as well as document analysis.

Findings

The paper theorises the importance of individual information security awareness, knowledge and behaviour and identifies a number of facilitating conditions: customisation to employee and organisational needs, interactivity, innovation, frequency, integration of both electronic and physical learning resources and rewarding the acquisition of in-depth security-related actionable knowledge.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine information security awareness as a socio-technical process within a government sector organisation in a developing country context.
Linkage analysis using geographical proximity: a test of the efficacy of distance measures
Authors: Haginoya Shumpei , Hanayama Aiko , Koike Tamae
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to compare the accuracy of linking crimes using geographical proximity between three distance measures: Euclidean (distance measured by the length of a straight line between two locations), Manhattan (distance obtained by summing north-south distance and east-west distance) and the shortest route distances.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 194 cases committed by 97 serial residential burglars in Aomori Prefecture in Japan between 2004 and 2015 were used in the present study. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare linked (two offenses committed by the same offender) and unlinked (two offenses committed by different offenders) pairs for each distance measure. Discrimination accuracy between linked and unlinked crime pairs was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Findings

The Mann–Whitney U test showed that the distances of the linked pairs were significantly shorter than those of the unlinked pairs for all distance measures. Comparison of the AUCs showed that the shortest route distance achieved significantly higher accuracy compared with the Euclidean distance, whereas there was no significant difference between the Euclidean and the Manhattan distance or between the Manhattan and the shortest route distance. These findings give partial support to the idea that distance measures taking the impact of environmental factors into consideration might be able to identify a crime series more accurately than Euclidean distances.

Research limitations/implications

Although the results suggested a difference between the Euclidean and the shortest route distance, it was small, and all distance measures resulted in outstanding AUC values, probably because of the ceiling effects. Further investigation that makes the same comparison in a narrower area is needed to avoid this potential inflation of discrimination accuracy.

Practical implications

The shortest route distance might contribute to improving the accuracy of crime linkage based on geographical proximity. However, further investigation is needed to recommend using the shortest route distance in practice. Given that the targeted area in the present study was relatively large, the findings may contribute especially to improve the accuracy of proactive comparative case analysis for estimating the whole picture of the distribution of serial crimes in the region by selecting more effective distance measure.

Social implications

Implications to improve the accuracy in linking crimes may contribute to assisting crime investigations and the earlier arrest of offenders.

Originality/value

The results of the present study provide an initial indication of the efficacy of using distance measures taking environmental factors into account.
The cost efficiency of Vietnamese banks – the difference between DEA and SFA
Authors: Nguyen Phong Hoang , Pham Duyen Thi Bich
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The paper aims to enrich previous findings for an emerging banking industry such as Vietnam, reporting the difference between the parametric and nonparametric methods when measuring cost efficiency. The purpose of the study is to assess the consistency in issuing policies to improve the cost efficiency of Vietnamese commercial banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The cost efficiency of banks is assessed through the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Next, five tests are conducted in succession to analyze the differences in cost efficiency measured by these two methods, including the distribution, the rankings, the identification of the best and worst banks, the time consistency and the determinants of efficiency frontier. The data are collected from the annual financial statements of Vietnamese banks during 2005–2017.

Findings

The results show that the cost efficiency obtained under the SFA models is more consistent than under the DEA models. However, the DEA-based efficiency scores are more similar in ranking order and stability over time. The inconsistency in efficiency characteristics under two different methods reminds policy makers and bank administrators to compare and select the appropriate efficiency frontier measure for each stage and specific economic conditions.

Originality/value

This paper shows the need to control for heterogeneity over banking groups and time as well as for random noise and outliers when measuring the cost efficiency.
Military reform, militarily-connected firms and auditor choice
Authors: Harymawan Iman
Published: May 2020

Purpose

One of the strongest connections in politics in developing countries is through military links. This study aims to examine the auditor choice preference of the militarily-connected firms in Indonesia, an emerging country where there is a strong influence from the military on political decision-making.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis used 3,473 firms-year observations listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange spanning from 2003 to 2017 using regression and other statistical tests.

Findings

The results reveal that firms with a militarily-connected director are less likely to appoint one of the Big 4 auditors. Using the military reform as a natural experiment, the finding shows that militarily-connected firms did not change their auditor choice preference even after the military reform. Interestingly, I find that connected firms are associated with high earnings management. In addition, the different retirement position level and military affiliations of the connected directors generate different outcomes related to the auditor choice decision. Overall, the results indicate that militarily-connected firms were less likely to appoint one of the Big 4 auditors both before and after the military reforms. These results are robust, even after the author controlled for political connections, year fixed effects and industry fixed effects.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the limitations of the prior literature on military connections, this study is developed based on the assumption that the militarily-connected directors have identical behavior whether they serve in either public or private companies. However, this assumption could be invalid which potentially affects the interpretation of some of the results in this study.

Originality/value

This paper provides direct evidence of the auditor choice preference of firms with a military connection. The evidence builds on the existing literature on the difference in auditor choice preference between politically and militarily-connected firms.
Assessing cross-national differences in police officers' domestic violence attitudes
Authors: Harper Shannon , Gover Angela , McPhedran Samara , Mazerolle Paul
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Comparative research provides a mechanism to understand how justice systems throughout the world operate. McPhedran et al. (2017) conducted a comparative examination of police officer attitudes about domestic violence (DV) in the USA and Australia and reported fairly high levels of agreement among male and female officers within each country. The current study builds on these findings by examining officer attitudes toward DV among male and female officers cross-nationally. This was accomplished by examining whether American and Australian male and female officers agree with one another on a number of DV issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-way ANOVA was used to examine the effect of two factors (gender and country) on law enforcement officer attitudes about DV.

Findings

The results suggest that male and female officers from the USA and Australia significantly differ on 14 of 24 attitudes about DV with the greatest number of attitudinal differences found between American and Australian male officers.

Research limitations/implications

Scholars who conduct future research examining police officer attitudes about DV should use the instrument from this study as a springboard to develop an updated survey in terms of content and one that would be applicable to cross-national analyses. Methodological study limitations are described in depth in McPhedran et al. (2017).

Originality/value

While gender differences in attitudes have received scholarly attention, questions remain regarding the degree to which attitudes align among male and female officers across different countries. The current study seeks to fill these gaps in knowledge by examining attitudes about DV between American and Australian law enforcement officers.
How financially inclusive the Asian’s are – an empirical analysis
Authors: Ghosh Shantanu , Sahu Tarak Nath
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to measure and further compare the countries in terms of the achievement in the degree of financial inclusion over the study period and between income groups considering 26 nations from Asia for the period 2013-2017.

Design/methodology/approach

While measuring the degree of financial inclusion, the study prepares an index using weighted arithmetic mean and the inverse of the Euclidean distance method. Further, comparison between the study period and between the income groups has been made using the dependent samplest-test as well as the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and independent samplest-test, respectively.

Findings

The study extends empirical insights by laying out the ranks for the countries considered for each of the study periods individually as well as in terms of mean financial inclusion scores for the study period. Further, comparison in terms of mean financial inclusion scores shows significant differences between the income groups, whereas the differences between the study periods turn out to be non-significant.

Research limitations/implications

Less availability of intended variables over time restricts the predictive capability of sketching the phenomena in a true sense and claims further an exhaustive research to pursue in the future.

Practical implications

With the declining trend except for 2016-2017 in the achievement of financial inclusion scores over time, the study suggests emphasizing the initiatives targeted to include the excluded within the ambit of the formal financial system, which somehow seems unstable.

Originality/value

The novelty of the study lies in the portrayal of a measure that seems representative of the scale for development with deeper insight.
John Lewis partnership approaching 100 years – what now?
Authors: Shipper Frank , Hoffman Richard C.
Published: May 2020

Theoretical basis

This case has multiple theoretical linkages at the micro-organizational behavior level (e.g. job enrichment), but it is best analyzed and understood when examined at the organizational level. Students will learn about shared entrepreneurship, high performance work systems, shared leadership and virtuous organizations, and how they can develop a sustainable competitive advantage.

Research methodology

The case was prepared using a qualitative approach. Data were collected via the following ways: literature search; organizational documents and published historical accounts; direct observations by a research team; and on-site audio recorded and transcribed individual and group interviews conducted by a research team (the authors) with organization members at multiple levels of the firm.

Case overview/synopsis

John Lewis Company has been in business since 1864. In 1929, it became the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) when the son of the founder sold a portion of the firm to the employees. In 1955, he sold his remaining interest to the employee/partners. JLP has a constitution and has a representative democracy governance structure. As the firm approaches the 100th anniversary of the trust, it is faced with multiple challenges. The partners are faced with the question – How to respond to the environmental turmoil?

Complexity academic level

This case has environmental issues – How to respond to competition, technological changes and environmental uncertainty and an internal issue – How can high performance work practices provide a sustainable competitive advantage? Both issues can be examined in strategic management courses after the students have studied traditionally managed companies. This case could also be used in human resource management courses.
Commentary on “Factors influencing the quality of care learning disabled patients receive in hospital”
Authors: Handley Tricia
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on Durrant’s paper “Factors influencing the quality of care learning disabled patients receive in hospital”.

Design/methodology/approach

The commentary identifies examples of practice in acute hospital provision consistent with the themes outlined in Durrant’s paper.

Findings

The themes identified in Durrant’s paper are easily recognisable. At the same time, there is a need to more fully understand the complexity of acute hospitals and to involve mainstream health-care staff in development and delivery of training on learning disability. Consideration should be given to the development of new specialist roles.

Originality/value

The commentary provides a practice perspective arising from wide clinical experience.
“Investigating the factors affecting brain drain in Greece: looking beyond the obvious”
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Antonios
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The study explores the reasons why talented people leave Greece and go abroad using a qualitative approach to data collection in order to get a deep understanding on the actual reasons of brain drain in Greece, which affects the sustainability of domestic businesses and the overall economic development of the country.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted consisting of 80 interviews with business and IT professionals, healthcare professionals and academics of various disciplines that live and work in the United Kingdom, Germany, United States and Australia. Data were collected over a three-year period (May 2015–May 2018).

Findings

The results showed that the vast majority of respondents decided to leave their home country due to the prevalent cultural mindset of most Greek citizens, government policymakers and employers in Greece. In particular, 65% of respondents decided to live and work abroad due to the deep crisis of social values in the country and the high political corruption, while just 35% pointed to purely financial and other work-related reasons (e.g. low salaries, poor working conditions, no employment prospects, lack of job security) as the key ones for leaving the country. Essentially, the respondents argued that the individualist cultural values that have been predominant in the Greek society for years now have become evident in political action causing several problems such as social injustice and poverty.

Research limitations/implications

The findings have important implications both for those who hold governmental posts and the remaining citizens of Greece. Both government officials and citizens should re-examine their roles, values and ideals. The blame for the extensive brain drain in the country cannot be put only on the political parties that ruled the country during the last decades; the people who elected them are also responsible. The country seems to remain trapped in a crisis of social values that parents and the formal education system in Greece have cultivated for years now. In that respect, formal education in the country should be transformed radically in order to act as an important agency inculcating the new generations with a sense of duty in shaping a democratic political culture that emphasizes equality and condemns egalitarian practices.

Originality/value

The scant evidence around this topic is based on quantitative research that fails to explore in much depth the reasons of brain drain in the country. Previous studies revealed that the phenomenon of brain drain in Greece has been predominantly caused by the poor financial performance of the country during the last decade. This has been further supported by the claims of several policymakers who argue that the Greek crisis has been a fiscal one. However, the present study sheds new light and unmasks the root cause of brain drain in Greece stressing that the country essentially faces a crisis of values and a corrupted civic culture.
Severe coral loss shifts energetic dynamics on a coral reef
Authors: Morais Renato A. , Depczynski Martial , Fulton Christopher , Marnane Michael , Narvaez Pauline , Huertas Victor , Brandl Simon J. , Bellwood David R.
Published: May 2020

Declining coral cover and loss of structural complexity are widely reported on today's coral reefs. While coral loss frequently triggers changes in coral reef fish assemblage structure, the ecosystem‐scale consequences of these changes are poorly known.

Here we evaluate how four metrics of energy flow and storage that underscore a critical coral reef function, consumer biomass production, respond to severe coral loss on a coral reef in the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

We compared fish and benthic surveys at Lizard Island from 2003 to 2004 with surveys in 2018 using an individual‐level modelling approach that integrates growth and mortality coefficients to estimate community‐level standing biomass, productivity, consumed biomass and turnover.

In the study period, coral cover declined by 72%–83% in forereef zones while turf cover increased by 18%–100% across all zones. Reef fish assemblages, in turn, responded with a 71% increase in standing biomass, 41% in productivity and 37% in consumed biomass, mainly driven by nominally‐herbivorous fishes (Labridae—Scarini, Acanthuridae and Siganidae). By contrast, biomass turnover rates declined by 19%.

Our findings suggest that coral loss can drive energetic shifts on coral reefs, leading to more productive, but slower paced reef fish assemblages. Although the observed build‐up of biomass may appear positive, the decreased turnover rates indicate that the system is unable to maintain biomass replacement levels. This suggests that the enhanced productivity that accompanied coral loss may be driven by storage effects from the somatic growth of individuals already present, questioning the temporal stability of these changes to coral reef ecosystem functioning.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
The effectiveness of monetary policy and output fluctuations: An asymmetric analysis
Authors: Irandoust Manuchehr
Published: May 2020

Previous studies have investigated asymmetries in the effects of monetary policy on the real economic activity by using either vector autoregressive (VAR)‐based regime‐switching models with smooth transition technique or Gaussian functions to parameterise the dynamic effects of structural shocks on the economy. These kinds of VAR models assume asymmetry as a short‐run relationship between the series since the long‐run neutrality hypothesis of money states that monetary policy can only affect productive capacity of the economy in the short run, but not in the long run. The recent theoretical literature shows that this hypothesis is not quite right. Thus, this paper examines the extent to which monetary policy has a long‐run asymmetric effect on output in a number of Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development countries by using a nonlinear hidden cointegration analysis within a likelihood‐based panel framework. The findings indicate that there is a long‐run relationship between the real interest rate as an indicator of monetary policy and the growth rate of real output in five countries out of nine under review. This gives support for the view that output has responded asymmetrically to the real interest rate changes. The economic implication of our results is that monetary policy affects positive and negative output fluctuations differently.
Joint impact of muscle mass and waist circumference on type 2 diabetes in Japanese middle‐aged adults: The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS)
Authors: Yasuoka Mikako , Muraki Isao , Imano Hironori , Jinnouchi Hiroshige , Kubota Yasuhiko , Hayama‐Terada Mina , Umesawa Mitsumasa , Yamagishi Kazumasa , Ohira Tetsuya , Kitamura Akihiko , Okada Takeo , Kiyama Masahiko , Iso Hiroyasu ,   for the CIRCS Investigators
Published: May 2020

Background

Although evidence about skeletal muscle mass loss and type 2 diabetes risk has accumulated, little information is available on the combined effect of skeletal muscle mass and abdominal obesity on type 2 diabetes. We examined whether skeletal muscle mass and abdominal obesity were synergistically associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Skeletal muscle mass and waist circumference (WC) were measured in 1515 Japanese aged 40 to 69 years. Relative muscle mass was calculated as percentage of total skeletal muscle mass in body weight (SMM%). Type 2 diabetes was identified as fasting serum glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL), nonfasting serum glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL), glycosylated hemoglobin ≥ 6.5%, and/or diabetes medication use.

Results

The multivariable‐adjusted odds ratio (OR) of prevalent diabetes from the lowest to the third quartile of SMM% compared to the highest quartile gradually increased in both sexes. The association between a high WC and prevalent diabetes was similar. The multivariable‐adjusted OR (95% confidence intervals) for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the low skeletal muscle mass/high WC group was 3.19 (1.78‐5.71) for men and 4.46 (2.09‐9.51) for women compared with the high skeletal muscle mass/low WC group. The relative excess risk due to interaction was 2.2 (0.5‐3.9) in men and 2.8 (0.2‐5.3) in women for an excess burden of type 2 diabetes for low skeletal muscle mass and high WC.

Conclusions

Low skeletal muscle mass and abdominal obesity were synergistically associated with presence of type 2 diabetes.