bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three Field Studies of Driver Speed Adaptation
Authors: Casey Steven M. , Lund Adrian K.
Published: July 2017

Three field studies of driver speeds were conducted to test the speed adaptation phenomenon and to define the practical implications of its effect. Sites were selected in which the speeds of vehicles previously exposed to high-speed conditions could be contrasted with speeds of vehicles not previously exposed to high speeds. The following conclusions were drawn from the results of this study: Conditions specific to a traffic site, such as legal speed limits, traffic density, and cross-street activity, determine the extent of speed adaptation. Speed perpetuation does not account for observed speed differences between speed-adapted and non-speed-adapted vehicles. The effects observed in the present study were significant but lower than in previous studies, possibly because of overall lower vehicle speeds. These findings indicate that proposals to increase speeds on rural interstates are likely to result in higher speeds on other, connecting roads as well.
The Effects of Panel Arrangement and Locus of Attention on Performance
Authors: Downing Jacqueline V. , Sanders Mark S.
Published: July 2017

A 2 × 2 × 8 factorial design was used to determine the effects of mirror-imaged panel arrangement and locus of attention (i.e., whether the subject focused attention external to the control panel or internal to the control panel) on operator performance. Response time and error data were collected for both nonemergency and simulated emergency situations. For the nonemergency performance condition the mirror-image group took longer to operate the controls and made slightly more errors. Performance in emergency situations was particularly degraded in the mirror-imaged condition. More instances of strain and fatigue were reported by the subjects using the mirror-imaged panel. The use of mirror-imaged complex control panels in high-stress environments is not recommended when separate panels are being operated by the same person.
Effectiveness of Warnings
Authors: Wogalter Michael S. , Godfrey Sandra S. , Fontenelle Gail A. , Desaulniers David R. , Rothstein Pamela R. , Laughery Kenneth R.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of the present work was to identify some of the factors that influence effectiveness of warnings. Two laboratory experiments designed to examine behavioral effectiveness indicated that a warning placed before procedural instructions is more likely to lead to compliance than a warning that follows instructions. Two rating experiments indicated that for greatest perceived effectiveness, environmental warnings generally require a signal word plus hazard, consequence, and instruction statements. A third rating experiment suggested that informative, nonredundant statements add to a warning's perceived effectiveness. Several field demonstration studies showed that cost of compliance and salience influence behavioral effectiveness. Implications and applications to warning design are discussed.
Some Generalizations about Generalization
Authors: Chapanis Alphonse
Published: July 2017

Three fallacies about generalization are that so-called basic research is more generalizable than applied research, that general findings are immediately useful for design purposes, and that the use of taxonomies increases the generalizability of human factors studies. Some factors that limit generalizability are the use of unrepresentative subjects, insufficient training subjects receive before measurements are begun, inadequate sampling of tasks and situations, inappropriate selection of dependent variables, long-term changes in the world of work, and artifacts attributable to the measurement process itself In designing a study to predict behavior in a specific application, the guiding principle is similarity. The study should be as similar as possible to the real situation. Two principles should be followed to design studies whose findings can be extrapolated to a wide range of situations: (1) design heterogeneity into the studies and (2) replicate earlier studies with variations in subjects, variables, or procedures.
Long Workdays versus Restdays: Assessing Fatigue and Alertness with a Portable Performance Battery
Authors: Rosa Roger R. , Colligan Michael J.
Published: July 2017

A test battery designed to assess psychological/behavioral fatigue was used to compare restdays to a workweek of five 12-hr days at a data entry job simulation. Across both workdays and restdays, the battery was presented at regular intervals to test for fatigue effects and diurnal variations. Increased data entry errors across the workday and the workweek as well as subjective reports of increased tiredness on workdays indicated that the work regimen was fatiguing. Test battery performance paralleled those results. On workdays, as compared with restdays, grammatical reasoning was faster but less accurate; digit addition was slower; simple, dual, and choice reaction times were slower; and hand steadiness decreased. The results demonstrated the sensitivity of the battery to long hours of work. The results are discussed in terms of work-rest differences, changes across the workweek, diurnal variations, and cognitive demand.
Factors Contributing to Child Drownings and Near-Drownings in Residential Swimming Pools
Authors: Rodgers Gregory B.
Published: July 2017

This article examines and quantifies factors affecting the risk of child drowning and near-drowning accidents in residential swimming pools. Two surveys were conducted. One survey provided information on children and pools involved in accidents; the other provided information on children exposed to the risk of drowning and their swimming environment. A logit regression model was used to analyze the survey results. The accident determinants were estimated, and risk factors calculated. The results are analyzed within the context of the child drowning and child development literature. Possible intervention strategies are discussed.
Aging and Performance of Home Tasks
Authors: Lawton M. Powell
Published: July 2017

Household behaviors must be understood in terms of a hierarchy of behavioral competence within which complexity determines the location of behaviors that can be evaluated in terms of basic health and social-normative criteria. Older people's household behaviors as well as higher-order behaviors are schematized in terms of physical and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL). Data on impairment rates for ADLs and time budget studies are cited to emphasize the importance of the home environment. Other behaviors that represent needs for autonomy, support, and proactivity are discussed, as are research needs, both for development of measures of microbehaviors and for the study of behaviors designed to achieve alternative routes to an instrumental goal whose preferred means of attainment has been disturbed by physical impairment.
A Geriatric and Gerontologic Perspective on the Effects of Medical Conditions on Older Drivers: Discussion of Waller
Authors: Wallace Robert B. , Retchin Sheldon M.
Published: July 2017

In discussing Waller's paper, we build on his review of medical conditions and the risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) using principles derived from geriatrics, gerontology, and health services research. Three approaches are suggested. The medical model uses discrete diseases as risk factors, but despite its utility and appeal, this model does not sufficiently characterize health and functional status to be the sole approach, and future investigative efforts should at least consider severity of illness concepts. The functional status model emphasizes a functional and physiological approach to health status, but despite its successful application in geriatric assessment and its investigative promise, functional status can be difficult to measure and has not been validated in relation to MVA risk. Finally we consider a behavioral model and within that framework discuss the relation of depressive and other emotional illnesses as well as social vitality to driving patterns and MVA occurrence.
Minimum Audible Movement Angle as a Function of the Azimuth and Elevation of the Source
Authors: Strybel Thomas Z. , Manllgas Carol L. , Perrott David R.
Published: July 2017

In the future auditory directional cues may enhance situational awareness in cockpits with head-coupled displays. This benefit would depend, however, on the pilot's ability to detect the direction of moving sounds at different locations in space. The present investigation examined this ability. Auditory motion acuity was measured by the minimum audible movement angle (MAMA): the minimum angle of travel required for detection of the direction of sound movement. Five experienced listeners were instructed to indicate the direction of travel of a sound source (broadband noise at 50 dBA) that moved at a velocity of 20 deg/s. Nine azimuth positions were tested at 0 deg elevation. Five elevations were then tested at 0 deg azimuth. Finally two azimuth positions were tested at an elevation of 80 deg. The position of the source did not significantly affect the MAMA for azimuth locations between +40 and -40 deg and elevations below 80 deg. Within this area the MAMA ranged between 1 and 2 deg. Outside this area the MAMA increased to 3 to 10 deg.
Collective Behavior and Team Performance
Authors: Driskell James E. , Salas Eduardo
Published: July 2017

Modern complex systems require effective team performance, yet the question of which factors determine effective teams remains to be answered. Group researchers suggest that collective or interdependent behavior is a critical component of team interaction. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that some team members are less collectively oriented than others and that the tendency to ignore task inputs from others is one factor that contributes to poor team performance. In this study we develop a procedure for differentiating collectively oriented versus egocentric team members. Experimental results confirm that collectively oriented team members were more likely to attend to the task inputs of other team members and to improve their performance during team interaction than were egocentric team members.
Estimating Correlations from Scatterplots
Authors: Meyer Joachim , Shinar David
Published: July 2017

Previous attempts to establish the function relating intuitive estimates of correlations from scatterplots to accepted statistical measures have led to unsatisfying results. In this study two experiments dealt with the effects of the statistical training of the viewer and various characteristics of the display on estimates. Statistical knowledge was related to higher estimates of correlations and the use of a wider range of values, but people with and without statistical knowledge were equally affected by the type of dispersion of the point cloud, the mere display of the regression line, and the slope of the regression line. Results indicate that estimates of correlations from scatterplots are partly based on perceptual processes that are influenced by visual properties of the display and are unrelated to the cognitive structures created by formal statistical training.
Iatrogenic Causes of Salivary Gland Dysfunction
Authors: Schubert M. M. , Izutsu K. T.
Published: July 2017

Saliva is important for maintaining oral health and function. There are instances when medical therapy is intended to decrease salivary flow, such as during general anesthesia, but most instances of iatrogenic salivary gland dysfunction represent untoward or unavoidable side-effects. The clinical expression of the salivary dysfunction can range from very minor transient alteration in saliva flow to a total loss of salivary function.

The most common forms of therapy that interfere with salivation are drug therapies, cancer therapies (radiation or chemotherapy), and surgical therapy. These therapies can affect salivation by a number of different mechanisms that include: Disruption of autonomic nerve function related to salivation, interference with acinar or ductal cell functions related to salivation, cytotoxicity, indirect effects (vasoconstrictiondilation, fluid and electrolyte balance, etc.), and physical trauma to salivary glands and nerves.

A wide variety of drugs is capable of increasing or decreasing salivary flow by mimicking autonomic nervous system actions or by directly acting on cellular processes necessary for salivation; drugs can also indirectly affect salivation by altering fluid and electrolyte balance or by affecting blood flow to the glands. Ionizing radiation can cause permanent damage to salivary glands, damage that is manifest as acinar cell destruction with subsequent atrophy and fibrosis of the glands. Cancer chemotherapy can cause changes in salivation, but the changes are usually much less severe and only transient. Finally, surgical and traumatic injuries interfere with salivation because of either disruption of gland innervation or gross physical damage (or removal) of glandular tissue (including ducts).
Factors Associated with Hepatitis B Vaccine Response Among Dentists
Authors: Cleveland J.L. , Siew C. , Lockwood S.A. , Gruninger S.E. , Chang S.-B. , Neidle E.A. , Russell C.M.
Published: July 2017

The objective of this study was to evaluate personal and immunization factors associated with serologic evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine response. A study was conducted using data from United States dentists participating from 1987 to 1991 in the Health Screening Program of the American Dental Association's annual session. This study included dentists (n = 507) who (1) received their most recent dose of HBV vaccine within the previous 10 months, (2) completed a core questionnaire, and (3) were tested for HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc) and were found not to have evidence of past or present infection. Non-responders were defined as dentists testing negative for all three markers (n = 100). Responders were defined as dentists having serological evidence of anti-HBs alone (n = 407). Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship of vaccine response to the variables sex, age, number of vaccine doses, site of vaccination, type of vaccine, and history of hepatitis. Vaccine response was most strongly associated with sex, age, and number of doses. Factors unrelated to vaccine response included type of vaccine and history of hepatitis. Adherence to the recommended number of doses and early vaccination are critical to adequate protection against hepatitis B infection of dentists, who are often exposed to blood and other body fluids.
Self -etching Dentin Primers Containing Phenyl-P
Authors: Chigira H. , Yukitani W. , Hasegawa T. , Manabe A. , Itoh K. , Hayakawa T. , Debari K. , Wakumoto S. , Hisamitsu H.
Published: July 2017

The dentin bonding efficacies of two commercial dentin bonding systems and experimental self-etching dentin primers composed of methacryloxyethyl hydrogen phenyl phosphate (Phenyl-P) and either hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) or glyceryl methacrylate (GM, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) were examined. The wall-to-wall polymerization contraction gap width of a commercial light-activated resin composite in a cylindrical dentin cavity and the tensile bond strength to a flat dentin surface were measured. Changes in dentin hardness were determined by Micro Vickers Hardness measurement, and an SEM observation was performed after priming. Formation of a contraction gap was completely prevented by the application of Phenyl-P diluted in HEMA or GM solution combined with a commercial dentin bonding agent, although gap formation was evident in nearly half of the specimens with both commercial dentin bonding systems. The mean tensile bond strengths of the tested groups varied from 16.3 to 20.7 MPa, and there were no significant differences between groups. Based on the measurement of Micro Vickers Hardness and SEM observation after priming, a slight reduction in dentin hardness was observed. However, this reduction in dentin hardness due to self-etching priming did not significantly correlate with either contraction gap width or tensile bond strength.
Rate Modulation of Jaw-elevator Motor Units as Revealed from the Low-frequency Power Spectrum of the Surface Electromyogram in Myogenous CMD Patients
Authors: van der Glas H.W. , Lobbezoo F. , Buchner R. , van der Bilt A. , Bosman F.
Published: July 2017

The firing pattern of the motor units (MUs) in jaw-elevator muscles was studied within a wide range of isometric contraction levels by means of changes in the frequency and broadness of the primary peak in the low-frequency (5-40 Hz) power spectral density function of the surface EMG. EMG was recorded from both masseter and anterior temporal muscles in 11 myogenous CMD patients as well as in 11 gender- and age-matched controls who clenched in intercuspal occlusion under the control of visual feedback at various levels (0.5-67% MVC for the various muscles studied). The EMG was digitized for 12 periods of 1.6 s per condition; the power spectrum was averaged and smoothed for the various clenching levels. Linear regression analysis showed that the positive slope in the peak frequency (PF)/% MVC relationship, a measure of rate modulation of the MUs, did not differ significantly between patients and controls. At a low clenching level, PF was smaller (p < 0.01) for the anterior temporal muscles of the patients, suggesting lower firing rates for a wide range of clenching levels of the patients because of a similar rate modulation for patients and controls. Furthermore, the variance in the slope values was larger (p < 0.05) for the masseteric muscles of the patients, which may be explained by more heterogeneity of the masseteric rate modulation in the patient group. The broadness of the primary peak was smallest at a low clenching level (p < 0.001) for the anterior temporal muscles of the patients, suggesting a more uniform firing rate or more synchronization between MUs.
Occlusion of Dentinal Tubules with Calcium Phosphate Using Acidic Calcium Phosphate Solution Followed by Neutralization
Authors: Ishikawa K. , Suge T. , Yoshiyama M. , Kawasaki A. , Asaoka K. , Ebisu S.
Published: July 2017

The occlusion of dentinal tubules with calcium phosphate, by a calcium phosphate precipitation method (CPP method), was investigated in vitro for evaluation of the potential value of this method for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.The method consists of treating the dentinal surface with a CPP solution, i.e., an acidic solution that contains both calcium and phosphate, followed by neutralization with basic post-treatment solution. The CPP solutions used in this study ([Ca] = 0.2 - 1.0 mol/L, [PO 4] = 0.2 - 4.0 mol/L) were prepared by dissolving Ca(OH)2 or CaHPO 4·2H2O in H3PO4 or HCl, and 1 mol/L NaOH solution was used for the post-treatment solution. Sections of human dentin disks treated by the CPP method were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the precipitate in the dentinal tubules was subjected to x-ray micro-analysis. After treatment by the CPP method, dentinal tubules were occluded to a distance of approximately 15 μm from the surface, and the precipitate showed a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.03 ± 0.01. To obtain a larger amount of precipitated mineral for further analysis, we used the same procedure with glass tubes (inside diameter, 1 mm). Powder x-ray diffraction analysis and FT-IR measurement revealed that the precipitate was dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (CaHPO4·2H2O). The instant precipitation of calcium phosphate mineral in the dentinal tubules demonstrated the potential value of the CPP method for the occlusion of dentinal tubules; this occlusion may be useful for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.
The archbishop, the criminal and the eepair of destinies
Authors: Cawkwell Tim
Published: July 2017

This article explores the idea of confession as it is analysed in Rowan Williams' recent book on Dostoevsky's novels. Bernanos made a Dostoevskian confessional scene central to The Diary of a Country Priest,realized in Bresson's film of the novel. The link between Dostoevsky and Bresson is then explored, especially the re-creation of Porfiry Petrovich in Crime and Punishment as a Parisian police inspector. This leads to Inspector Vigot in Greene's The Quiet American and to Simenon's Inspector Maigret, who at the beginning of his career had a vision of himself as a 'repairer of destinies' or confessor.
African relational ontology, individual identity, and Christian theology
Authors: Forster Dion A.
Published: July 2017

African theology has a great deal to contribute to the theological discourse on human identity. Relationships are central to the formation, expression and understanding of who an individual person is. The African philosophy of ubuntu, more accurately expressed as umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (a person is a person through other persons), affirms the critical understanding that identity arises out of intersubjective interactions between persons. This paper discusses how concepts of identity in African philosophy and religion can enhance our theological understanding of individual identity. Hence this research presents an African theological approach to identity that is systematized in relation to the doctrine of God, the doctrine of Christian anthropology and the doctrine of salvation.
Adverse effects of spinal manipulation
Authors: Dixon Peter
Published: July 2017

Please e-mail letters for publication to Dr Kamran Abbasi [ kamran.abbasi@rsm.ac.uk ]. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and preference will be given to letters responding to articles published in the JRSM. Our aim is to publish letters quickly. Not all correspondence will be acknowledged.
Adverse effects of spinal manipulation
Authors: Lewis Barry J
Published: July 2017

Please e-mail letters for publication to Dr Kamran Abbasi [ kamran.abbasi@rsm.ac.uk ]. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and preference will be given to letters responding to articles published in the JRSM. Our aim is to publish letters quickly. Not all correspondence will be acknowledged.
An 18th century controlled trial prompted by a potential shortage of hospital beds
Authors: Louis-Courvoisier Micheline
Published: July 2017

Additional material for this article is available from the James Lind Library website [ www.jameslindlibrary.org ], where it was previously published.
Dual Labor Market Theory and the Institutionalization of Farmers’ Markets: Marginalized Workers Adapting to Inhospitable Conditions in Louisiana
Authors: Romanienko Lisiunia A.
Published: July 2017

There has been some evidence to suggest that women and people of color have optimized their status as marginalized employees in a dual labor economy by institutionalizing their expanding participation in secondary labor market activity. To determine the validity of this claim, the author explores the historical antecedents of dual labor markets, describes the hegemonic patterns evident in industrialized nations that reflect bifurcated labor market patterns, examines the institutionalization of other second-tier industries that have facilitated improvements for marginalized laborers in the past, and suggests that the recent institutionalization of yet another industry, urban farmers’ markets, provides compelling evidence that second-tier workers have successfully adapted under prevailing inhospitable and discriminatory labor market conditions. Data compiled from case studies drawn from registration lists and observational field techniques at two farmers’ markets located in the State of Louisiana supports the author’s second-tier adaptation paradigm.
Public Purchasing and Eco-labelling Schemes: Making the Connection and Reinforcing Policy Coherence
Authors: Grolleau Gilles , Mzoughi Naoufel , Nouira Chahira
Published: July 2017

Many governments have promoted eco-labelling schemes as an accurate information-based policy to regulate environmental problems. This paper argues that governments should integrate eco-labelling into their purchasing decisions, both to benefit the environment directly and to reinforce ecolabelling programs as a means to influence private purchasers. Both effects could be quite significant given that governments are large purchasers of goods and services. After reviewing the main barriers and potentialities for greening procurement markets, we explore several ways by which green public procurement can promote the overall diffusion of eco-labelled products.

JEL codes: H57; Q 28
What has the Feminisation of the Labour Market ‘Bought’ Women in South Africa? Trends in Labour Force Participation, Employment and Earnings, 1995–2001
Authors: Casale Daniela
Published: July 2017

There has been a dramatic increase in the labour force participation of women in South Africa since the mid-1990s. Male participation has also been increasing but at a substantially slower rate, such that a feminisation of the labour force has occurred, mirroring a more general global trend that has been occurring since World War Two. Unlike the experience in many other countries, however, the rise in the labour force participation of women in South Africa has translated mainly into an increase in unemployment. Nonetheless, there has also been some increase in employment among women over the same period. This paper analyses what this rise in employment has ‘bought’ women in South Africa in terms of access to different types of employment and earnings for the period 1995 to 2001. The analysis suggests that the nature of the feminisation of the labour market in South Africa has been such that women’s disadvantaged position in the labour market relative to men’s has not been fundamentally challenged. Women continue to be over-represented in low-income, less secure employment. Where there has been some opportunity for advancement over the period, white women seem to have been the main beneficiaries.
Have Migration Patterns in Post-Apartheid South Africa Changed?
Authors: Posel Dorrit
Published: July 2017

In post-apartheid South Africa, it may have been expected that circular or temporary internal labour migration would have been replaced by the permanent settlement of Africans at places of employment. However, the evidence suggests that temporary internal labour migration in the country has not declined; rather it appears to have increased, particularly because of the rise in female labour migration. Africans continue to migrate, mostly from households in rural areas, to work or to look for work and they continue to retain ties with, and membership in, their households of origin. These findings resonate with those from recent research on cross-border migration into South Africa: many people entering South Africa do not see themselves as immigrants who wish to settle permanently in the country, but as circular migrants. More research is needed to understand the nature of, and reasons for, this temporary labour migration in and into the country.
Book Review: Japanese Capitalism and Modernity in a Global Era: Re-fabricating Lifetime Employment Relations
Authors: Hood Dr Christopher P.
Published: July 2017

Japanese Capitalism and Modernity in a Global Era: Re-fabricating Lifetime Employment Relations, Matanle, P.C.D. (2003). London, RoutledgeCurzon, ISBN 0–415–30574–8, pp. 177 + xxii
A Judeo-Christian Theory of Unemployment
Authors: Beed Clive , Beed Cara
Published: July 2017

Explanations for unemployment in a Western developed economy context remain contested. Competing theories relate particular economic phenomena to types and levels of unemployment, but no theory either explains all unemployment or is accepted uniformly. Recently, selected Protestant economists have proposed the relevance of principles contained in Judeo-Christian thought to a range of contemporary economic matters. How a selection of these principles might be used to partially explain certain forms of Western-type unemployment is illustrated. A normative framework for employment organisation contained in Judeo-Christian thought is presented from recent work of two economist (Protestant) Christian author groups whose approaches have had significant influence in Judeo-Christian circles. Unemployment is explained by differences between features of this framework, and employment organisational characteristics of the real (Western) world. In the third section, implications from the Judeo-Christian framework are compared with selected reasons for frictional and structural unemployment proposed in mainstream economics.
Production Structure, Factor Substitution, and Total Factor Productivity in the South African Agricultural Sector
Authors: Tewari D.D. , Kant Shashi
Published: July 2017

The production structure of the South African agricultural sector is analyzed using duality theory in production and cost. An unrestricted translog cost function is estimated, and a number of model restrictions (homothetic, homogenous, unitary elasticity of substitution, Hick’s neutral technical change, and no technical change) are tested for, but none of them was found to be statistically significant. The Allen Elasticity of Substitution (AES) and the Morishima Elasticity of Substitution (MES) are calculated to analyze factor substitution, and found that the AES may give erroneous results in the case of number of factors exceeding two. The substitution of land is found to be easiest while that of fuel to be hardest. Furthermore, technical change is found to have a negative impact on agriculture, but there are increasing returns to scale in South African agriculture. However, technical change dominates over scale effect, and results in negative total factor productivity growth. When these results are combined with the finding that, it is easier to substitute machinery by labor than vice-versa, it appears that labor-intensive technologies may be useful for agriculture growth.
The Role of Sequential Innovations and R&D Workers in Limiting Scale Effects
Authors: Panagopoulos Andreas
Published: July 2017

This paper extends the endogenous growth model of Aghion and Howitt to include technology as being generated by R&D workers and past research. As the model displays, an addition as such minimizes scale effects. In fact, even though the number of research workers still affects the growth rate of the economy, the amplitude of this effect is logarithmic.
The Domain and Essence of Ecological Economics
Authors: Shi Tian
Published: July 2017

Ecological economics is an emerging research field that directly inquires into the working properties of economic-environmental interactions, the dynamic relationships within which humans interact, and the processes through which humans can affect these interactions towards a sustainable development future. The emphasis on the biophysical constraints distinguishes ecological economics from conventional economics. An alternative perspective on economic-environmental interactions, a trans-disciplinary analytical framework and a participatory process for policy formulation are identified as essential elements in the hard core of this research endeavor towards sustainability. From the ecological economics perspective, the efficient allocation and utilization of limited natural and environmental resources as the basis for maximizing economic welfare has been subsumed within the broader objectives of ecological-economic-social sustainable development. Ecological economics attempts to improve scientific understanding of the natural and social processes relating to human interactions with the environment and, at the same time, provide information relevant to decision-making on sustainable development.
On the Convergence of National Corporate Governance Systems
Authors: Braendle Udo C , Noll Juergen
Published: July 2017

Some scholars have argued that the corporate governance systems of the major economies are likely to converge towards the economically best system at a rapid pace, while others maintain that such convergence will not occur because of a variety of forms of path dependence. In this article we first describe the evolution of the different systems. Then we search for evidence that convergence of corporate governance is correlated with globalisation, i.e. governance systems will converge to a certain degree and that the fear of an “inefficient convergence” is unfounded. We do so by describing the present efforts for a unification of the corporate governance systems. The number of standards-setting bodies and multilateral institutions that have been set up in recent times to foster good corporate governance worldwide is testimony to the heightened interest in this particular issue. In addition we present arguments for a further harmonisation and weaken the theories against it. We conclude that the systems will converge because the pressure of change is stronger than the tendencies of persistence. In addition we argue that systems composed of useful elements of different systems can be optimal.
South Africa’s Maritime Policy and Transformation of the Shipping Industry
Authors: Chasomeris Mihalis G.
Published: July 2017

More than 95 per cent of South Africa’s trade volume is seaborne. Although South Africa is clearly an important sea-trading nation, it is not a significant shipowning or ship operating nation. Despite a decade of democracy, and the improved Ship Registration Act of 1998, the South African merchant marine has continued to decline. South Africa’s new Maritime Charter of December 2003 has the long-term vision “to develop South Africa to become one of the world’s top 35 maritime nations by the year 2014”. Currently, South Africa adopts a strongly market-driven shipping policy. In stark contrast the Charter calls for “a clear strategy/plan for the majority of South African cargo, going through South African ports to be carried on South African ships”. This article argues that although South Africa has a large volume of trade, it does not necessarily have a competitive advantage in the shipment of these goods. Thus policies to promote or protect the national shipping industry might not be in the broader economic interests of South Africa.

JEL: R40
Using Contingent Valuation in Hypothetical Settings: Estimating the WTP for an HIV/AIDS Vaccine
Authors: Keyserlingk Camilla von , Rhodes Bruce
Published: July 2017

A contingent valuation survey was carried out to assess willingness to pay (WTP) for an HIV/AIDS vaccine. The survey was conducted among students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban. The payment card method was used to elicit willingness to pay estimates. Questions on demographics, socio-economic status, sexual behaviour, HIV risk and HIV testing were also collected and analysed in an ANOVA regression model to determine their effect on the WTP variable. Among the respondents, 71.5% would want to be vaccinated at a mean WTP of $108 (R648) and median of $33.4 (R200). The most common reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated were concerns about the safety of the vaccine and a low perceived risk of contracting HIV. Higher ability to pay (higher monthly income) was positively associated with WTP. Having been tested for HIV before and being female were both found to decrease WTP. While the limits of the willingness to pay method were acknowledged, the results have important implications regarding investment decisions into vaccine research and development as well as the design of marketing campaigns for a future AIDS vaccine. Indeed this is the first study asking such questions for a potential high risk specific target group of 16–24 year old adults.
Shareholdership, Stakeholdership and the Modern Global Business Environment: A Survey of the Literature
Authors: Nwanji Tony Ike , Howell Kerry E.
Published: July 2017

This paper surveys literature relating to the Anglo-American model (shareholder theory) and stakeholder theory of corporate governance in the modern global business environment. Stakeholder theory emerged during the 1970–80s and suggested that corporations should look beyond the shareholder perspective of profit maximisation. Through a survey of the literature we examine why the traditional Anglo-American model of corporate governance had difficulties when dealing with certain unethical business practices of corporate boards. Overall, this study investigates whether an application of deontological and teleological ethical theories may illustrate how boards of directors could manage stakeholder issues and deal with problematic moral dilemmas and ethical decisions.
Book Review: Defending Japan’s Pacific War: TheKyoto School Philosophers andPost-White Power
Authors: Shillony Ben-Ami
Published: July 2017

Defending Japan’s Pacific War: TheKyoto School Philosophers andPost-White Power. David Williams, RoutledgeCurzon, London, 2004. xxvi, 238 pages, ISBN 0-203-38715-5
Responding to Threats of Terrorism: How the Law can Generate Appropriate Incentives
Authors: Ogus Anthony
Published: July 2017

A law-and-economics framework of analysis is adopted to assess the likely effectiveness of counter-terrorist regulatory measures. The analysis suggests that ex post deterrence measures are likely to be less cost-effective than ex ante preventative measures, and, among the latter, controls restricting access to weapons and increasing security at potential targets are likely to be more cost-effective than those restricting the movements of suspected individuals
Informal Cooperation as an Emerging Method of Administration and How it is to be Governed
Authors: Kellner Martin
Published: July 2017

In recent years, in Germany the “informal cooperation” of the public authorities with citizens increasingly gained in importance. Today, no permit for a major project and no substantial directive will be issued without prior informal contacts between the public authority and the private addressee. The informality of these contacts is praised for expediting and simplifying the administrative proceedings. However, also this style of administration meets considerable scepticism. Since there is no clear regulation for these contacts between the administration and citizens beyond the “formal” procedures, third party interests and public goods such as the protection of the environment are at stake. This essay introduces the informal cooperation as an emerging method of administration and explains its legal framework. Although the Administrative Procedure Act does not statute obligations for the informal contacts, legal remedies exist that protect third parties and public goods. Furthermore, during the cooperation the parties are bound by the principles of trust and good faith. The development of responsibilities during informal cooperation may assist in achieving general acceptance of the informal cooperation between the administration and a citizen.
Economics 0, 1, 2? – Illustrating the Core Insights of Economic Analysis*
Authors: Hsiung Bingyuan
Published: July 2017

Economists generally agree that economic analysis constitutes a unique worldview, but there seems to be no consensus about the worldview itself. This paper attempts to outline a possible configuration of the worldview by proposing four fundamental insights of economics. The insights satisfy two criteria: they should be compatible with the mainstream of economics, and they should correspond to the daily experiences of the general public and be useful to them. The four insights can be represented by the numbers of 0, 1, and 2: (1) O > 0; (2) 1+1<2; (3) 1+1>2; (4) 0 ~ 0.

First, O > 0 means that man is rational and self-interested. Secondly, 1+1<2 suggests that whatever is, is not necessarily efficient, but there is a reason for it. Third, 1+1>2 argues that for something good to occur, the supporting conditions must be in place. Fourth, 0 ~ 0 implies that the meanings of something are fulfilled by other, relevant things. Abstractly speaking, the first insight is the starting point of economic analysis. The second and third insights represent respectively an unsatisfactory and a satisfactory situation; for either situation, economic analysis can try to advance an explanation. Finally, the fourth insight illustrates on the one hand the core concept of opportunity cost and on the other hand how meanings of things are determined in general. It also implies that given the status quo, a potentially better alternative can and should be looked for consciously.

JEL classification: A2, B0.
Book Review: Inside the Economist’s Mind: Conversations with Eminent Economists
Authors: Bailey Dr Mark
Published: July 2017

Inside the Economist’s Mind: Conversations with Eminent Economists. Edited by Paul A. Samuelson & William A. Barnett (Blackwell, 2007) ISBN: 978-1 4051-5917-0
Fiscal Policy in Latin America: Some Features and Challenges
Authors: Castillo Ramiro Ruiz del
Published: July 2017

In this paper the fiscal policy in Latin America is analyzed, considering its historical weaknesses and its current improvements. For this, we characterize the fiscal evolution since the 1990s, attempt to point out the main features regarding fiscal behaviour in the region and finally present relevant challenges to make fiscal policy in the region more sustainable.
The Quality of Latin American Institutions
Authors: Krause Martin
Published: July 2017

Faced with institutional competition, accelerated by the process of globalization, countries have basically two options: participate in it and get their benefits or isolate themselves and be left aside. With a few exceptions, Latin American countries have not been able to cope with competition and are lagging behind. In this article an attempt will be made to evaluate the quality of Latin American institutions in terms of macroeconomic stability and the rule of law through the building of a composite index called “Institutional Quality Index”, averaging together indexes evaluating economic and political issues, trying to capture the essence of institutional arrangements that have allowed countries to progress and showing whether Latin America’s institutions are able to compete in the world arena.

It will be concluded that small countries, such as Chile and some islands on the Caribbean and Central America, get better qualifications than larger countries in the region. This may be explained by the fact that their size forces them to be open economies where contracts and property rights are enforced, since their economies would not be self-sustainable if closed.

Also, the “heritage” of legal systems such as the British “common law” shows that some countries could get a better performance of justice as shown by, for example, the high qualifications of some Caribbean countries as compared to others in Latin America that inherited the legal systems of Spain or Portugal. A few recommendations follow.
Book Review: Management of Nontimber Forest Product Resources of India: An Analysis of Forest Development Corporations
Authors: Mythili Dr. G.
Published: July 2017

Management of Nontimber Forest Product Resources of India: An Analysis of Forest Development Corporations by D.D. Tewari International Book Distributing Co. (Publishing Division) Lucknow 226001 U.P. (INDIA) 152 pages 2008 ISBN 81-8189-223-2
Rethinking Sovereign Immunity in the U.S. Federal Tort Claims Act: How Government Liability May Serve the Rule of Law
Authors: Kellner Martin
Published: July 2017

The U.S. Federal Tort Claims Act is limited by a number of exceptions pursuant to which the Government is not subject to liability, even if a private person could be liable under the same circumstances. These exceptions include the discretionary function exception, which bars a claim based “upon the exercise or performance or the failure to exercise or perform a discretionary function or duty on the part of a federal agency or an employee of the Government, whether or not the discretion involved be abused.” However, a broad interpretation of the discretionary function exception can be harmful to the implementation of the law because it restricts government agents’s responsibility. Scholars argue that the separation of powers principle requires a limitation of governmental liablity because courts must accept the decision that agencies make when implementing the law. But separation of powers does not protect unlawful administrative conduct. Rather, the possibility of tort liability can give a negative economic incentive to government agents to avoid violation of the legal requirements. Since the deterrence conception of tort law can help to maintain the rule of law, constitutional considerations ague in favour a broader government liability and a narrow interpretation of the discretionary function exception.
Developing Energy-based Poverty Indicators for South Africa
Authors: Vermaak Claire , Kohler Marcel , Rhodes Dr Bruce
Published: July 2017

Energy provision and the role it plays in poverty alleviation is well documented. South Africa has an ambitious poverty alleviation program of halving 2004 poverty levels by 2014, which demands an increase in the provision of energy to both urban and rural impoverished areas. Yet the country has no energy based poverty indicators to guide such policy. This paper attempts to fill that gap by developing reliable, theoretically rigorous energy based indicators from extant data gathered in the 2005 South African household survey. An end-use and access-adjusted energy based poverty indicator compares favourably with other poverty variables using correlation analysis. We find that such indicators can assist government policy in meeting poverty targets such as that outlined by the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
Corruption and Political Interest: Empirical Evidence at the Micro Level
Authors: Dong Bin , Torgler Benno
Published: July 2017

The topic of corruption has recently attracted a great deal of attention, yet there is still a lack of micro level empirical evidence regarding the determinants of corruption. Furthermore, the present literature has not investigated the effects of political interest on corruption despite the interesting potential of this link. We address these deficiencies by analyzing a cross-section of individuals, using the World Values Survey. We explore the determinants of corruption through two dependent variables (perceived corruption and the justifiability of corruption). The impact of political interest on corruption is explored through three different proxies, presenting empirical evidence at both the cross-country level and the within-country level. The results of the multivariate analysis suggest that political interest has an impact on corruption controlling for a large number of factors.

JEL classification: K420, D720, 0170, J240
A study of the incremental power of using Statement of Cash Flows ratios in predicting companies’ failure in Malaysia
Authors: Tse Chin-Bun , Pak Mei-Sen
Published: July 2017

The main purpose of this study is to test whether adding statement of cash flow data to accrual ratios can increase the prediction power of the company failure model applied to Malaysian listed companies. As a starting point, we apply Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA) to develop a brand new company failure prediction model. Our empirical evidence shows that a combined use of ratios derived from income statement (I/S), balance sheet (B/S) and statement of cash flow provides a better predicting power than only using I/S and B/S. Our results show high successful prediction rates of our model. Tested on holdout samples, we achieved 91.07 percent for a one-year prediction and 89.29 percent for a two-year prediction.