bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relation of Partner Entrepreneurial Characteristics to Strategic Alliance Success: A Comparative US-China Study
Authors: Mockler Robert J. , Dologite Dorothy G. , Gartenfeld Marc E.
Published: March 2007

Strategic alliances are most often entrepreneurial ventures. The task of finding an effective entrepreneurial multinational alliance partner involves identifying (1) entrepreneurial requirements in the situation under study; (2) ways to find, match and select partners that fit these requirements; and (3) ways to build an effective alliance management structure that suits all partners and strategic and operational business requirements. Based on work done in developing alliances and conducting executive workshops in China, and established entrepreneurship theory, this article identifies ways to improve chances of success when entering multinational strategic alliances in China through more effective partner selection, nurturing and management.
THE (NEO)MODERN OLYMPIC GAMES
Authors: Segrave Jeffrey O.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to consider the development of the Olympic Games throughout the 20th century in light of the evolving social and political realities that have shaped the Games and at the same time employ various currents of social theorizing to help us understand the unfolding of the Olympic story in instructive ways. First, the Games are characterized as they were conceived in the late 19th century as a classic expression of modernity. Second, I argue that the breakdown of the modernist project over the course of the 20th century has transformed the Games into a postmodern phenomenon, a development that has nurtured the Games but denigrated Olympism. Finally, I suggest that a more complete realization of the Olympic project may be imminent under the auspices of a newly emergent neomodernity. While the first two characterizations are more conventional, the third is more controversial, one that requires us to acknowledge the emergence of a new era precipitated by the profound occurrences of 1989, the revolutions in central and eastern Europe that have given a renewed vitality to the classic institutions of modernity and lent credibility to universalist projects like the Olympic Games.
CONTESTATION IN MODERN ENGLISH PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
Authors: Nash Rex
Published: March 2007

This article analyses the fandom of supporters from four professional English football clubs organized into Independent Supporters Associations (ISAs), and the extent to which these groups contest the rapidly changing culture of modern football. Broadly linking schools of fandom to class, it argues that ISAs combine certain `traditional' working class values with agenda developed by the Football Supporters Association, and contest some key dominant principles of modern commercial football. It concludes that, ironically, the new political economy of the modern English game can offer greater opportunities for fans of smaller clubs to contribute to decision-making processes.
PROSPEROUS MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN'S SPORTS IN JAPAN THROUGH SOME GENDER ISSUES
Authors: Maeda Hiroko
Published: March 2007

This research note draws upon various national surveys, and some new survey data, to examine the participation rates of Japanese women in sport and games. The data cover the period from 1979 to 1997, and show that in middle-age, more women participate in sport than do their male counterparts. This is linked to the establishment and organization of sports for women in the 1970s and the early 1980s, and to changing attitudes towards women's place in the household, the family and the workplace. The increase in women's participation is unlikely to continue, though, due to changes in the lifecourse and lifestyle of Japanese women. The rise in the number of unmarried women in the workforce means that for more women, participation in sport will not be so much of a priority as for those women based in the home who have had the time, resources and opportunity to play sports.
EUROPEAN IDENTITY POLITICS IN EURO 96
Authors: Maguire Joseph , Poulton Emma K.
Published: March 2007

This article analyses the relationships between sport, national identity and the media in the English press during the European Football Championship, EURO 96. Our objective is to highlight some of media representations that surround and underpin sport in general and (association) football in particular in the context of contemporary European politics. This is done primarily through a qualitative discourse analysis of some the English newspaper coverage of EURO 96. In examining the identity politics that were evident during the championships, we will also consider the specifically English position relative to their/its continental European neighbours. More broadly, we want to make the case that, while the concepts of `imagined communities' and `invented traditions' are of considerable help in making sense of identity politics, Elias's examination of the socio-genesis of more deeply sedimented national character and habitus codes also sheds important light on current European identity politics. As such, the article is based on a specific approach to the study of sport and national identity, derived from a process-sociological perspective.
`GENTLEMAN ATHLETE'
Authors: Altimore Michael
Published: March 2007

Joe DiMaggio has been revered, and now remembered, as an Italian-American hero, one whose achievements differed sharply from other famous and notorious Italian-Americans, such as `Lucky' Luciano, Al Capone and Frank Sinatra. However, in many ways DiMaggio was not Italian at all. One need only mention his regal bearing, how frequently the phrase `classy' was applied to this high school drop-out, and his difficult, if not tragic, personal life, in order to appreciate the irony of DiMaggio being cast as the representative of a group better known for its earthiness and family-centered gregariousness. This article will use DiMaggio's public persona as a focal point for exploring some of the intriguing relationships between sport and ethnicity in American popular culture.
The Curriculum as a Global Domain
Authors: Burn Barbara
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on the global dimensions of higher education curricula in liberal arts colleges in the United States. Altering existing curricula and developing new are probablythe most prickly, trying, and time-consuming internationalization strate gies. International efforts therefore tend to involve such activities and initiatives as studyabroad and foreign student programs. But the importance of foreign languages and global problem studies as an institutional strategyis undeniable.
STATE INTERVENTION IN IMPERFECT FAMILIES
Authors: Brandon Peter David
Published: March 2007

This paper revisits state intervention in families on behalf of children rather than on behalf of parents. Drawing upon the theory of comparative advantage, the study argues that the reported rise in child abuse and neglect results from parents' lacking the absolute minimum levels of skills needed to sustain a family, not from parents' lacking altruism for children. The analysis has implications for child welfare policies and the sorts of welfare programs families should receive, and questions the efficacy of costly child protection programs. Interestingly, applying the theory of comparative advantage to this unfortunate aspect of family life yields similar conclusions to those reached by others. Most significantly, akin to past studies, this study concludes that the state faces an `agency problem' when it intervenes on behalf of maltreated children, because it cannot fully monitor parents judged as incompetent at raising their children.
Participation in Voluntary Organizations and Group Size
Authors: WEESIE JEROEN
Published: March 2007

Participation in collective action is hard to understand as rational behavior unless strong intrinsic benefits or selective social or economic incentives are assumed. This article describes the Status Competition Model for organizations in which members are motivated to participate for selective social rewards like the status attained from an annual “Medal of Honor.” Status is awarded on the basis of relative voluntary contributions. Using this model, the set of active members and its relation with the size of membership is studied. The number of volunteers is characterized in terms of the individual costs and benefits of participation. It is deduced that active members are necessarily very homogeneous with respect to a one-dimensional parameter of their costs and benefits. Hence the number of active members will be small if members differ nontrivially in their costs and benefits. Under some additional assumptions, it is argued that in similar kinds of organizations, the number of active members is proportional to the square root of the number of members.
Collectivities as Actors
Authors: FELD SCOTT L. , GROFMAN BERNARD
Published: March 2007

This article concerns the nature of “collective” preferences, when preferences inhere only in individuals. Economists (e.g., Arrow) have concluded that there is no reasonable way to combine individual preferences. Nevertheless, sociologists routinely treat collectivities (e.g., small groups, organizations, social classes, or ethnic groups) as entities with consistent preferences. This article suggests that consistency of collective choices arises from the social context. Specifically, many collective choices are matters of “judgment,” rather than matters of purely personal “preference.” In matters of judgment, natural groups tend to have shared standards that are used by individuals in determining their own preferences. Under such conditions, even when many individuals “get it wrong,” the group majorities tend to “get it right.” Social philosophers have suggested that when individuals attend to the public good, group majorities tend to accurately reflect the collective interest (Durkheim's “collective conscience” and Rousseau's “general will”). However, these philosophers have never suggested any empirical indicators of the emergence of the collective interest. This article suggests that if individuals are judging alternatives by shared standards, then there should be predictable patterns in the sizes of the majorities by which they make their choices. Votes from 36 different elections in nonprofit organizations, unions, and professional associations are analyzed and shown to be consistent with the patterns expected to arise from judgments by shared standards. Implications for future research into a wide variety of interdisciplinary issues are discussed.
Games and Preference
Authors: TULLOCK GORDON
Published: March 2007

Game theory has had a considerable impact on the way we talk about problems and on our reasoning. But this has been more or less a philosophical effect. When it comes to formal reasoning, the calculation of a mixed strategy is characteristically either impossible or misleading.
Theories of Rebellion
Authors: MULLER EDWARD N. , WEEDE ERICH
Published: March 2007

Hypotheses to explain cross-national variation in levels of rebellious political conflict can be grounded principally either in relative deprivation assumptions of frustration-aggression theory or in expected utility assumptions or rational choice theory. Previous theory and research have tended to focus exclusively on one or the other approach or else have combined the two eclectically. To evaluate the validity of these competing theories in comparative macrosocietal research, it is necessary to formulate alternative models that can be confronted empirically. Equations for a relative deprivation model and a power contention model (grounded in rational action assumptions) are specified here and a test of the models is conducted with quantitative cross-national data. The results support the predictions of the power contention model.
The Sociology of Nazism
Authors: BRUSTEIN WILLIAM , FALTER JÜRGEN W.
Published: March 2007

In a previous paper, we tested a number of critical hypotheses derived from the three principal explanations of the sociology of Nazism. Our major finding was that the mass society, lower middle-class party of protest, and political confessionalism theses are empirically flawed. In this article, we apply an interest-based theory to the sociology of blue-collar Nazism. Using a sample of 15,006 workers who joined the Nazi Party between 1925 and 1932, we test the validity of our interest-based theory. The data demonstrate significant support for an interest-based account of Nazi Party working-class joining.
FRAMES, INFERENCES AND RATIONALITY
Authors: Fillieule Renaud
Published: March 2007

This paper adopts a distinction between two uses of the notion of rationality, the `rationality of frame' and the `rationality of inference'. Rationality of frame is the rationality of the choices made between conceptual frames, for instance, between paradigms in science. Rationality of inference is the rationality of choices made between inferences, i.e. between rules which, in a given conceptual frame, allow actors to reach a decision or to solve a problem; many examples can be found in microeconomics (the rule of optimization) and in cognitive psychology (models of cognition). This distinction is suitable for the study of the controversies and misunderstandings that arise concerning the notion of rationality and it throws some light on controversies about rationality as optimization in microeconomics (the neo-classical versus evolutionary paradigm), choice anomalies (neo-classical economics versus cognitive psychology), and scientific creativity (cognitive psychology versus philosophy of science).
USING COMPUTATIONAL METHODS TO PERFORM COUNTERFACTUAL ANALYSES OF FORMAL THEORIES
Authors: Martin Andrew D. , Quinn Kevin M.
Published: March 2007

Recently there has been an increase in the number of researchers who use rational choice models to explain single cases and rare events. Because of the small number of cases under study, these researchers must rely either explicitly or implicitly on counterfactual reasoning. This paper argues that computational methods provide a profitable means of carrying out rigorous counterfactual analysis. The authors advocate robustness analysis as one important part of the counterfactual analysis of formal theories. Specifically, they evaluate the robustness of the behavioral assumptions of two formal models using various heuristic search algorithms and Markov chains. They find that Kuran's (1989) threshold model of mass protest and Ingberman's (1985) model of direct-democracy referenda are robust to perturbations in their behavioral assumptions. These findings increase the plausibility of causal claims made by scholars who use these models to explain specific events.
WANTON AND SENSELESS?
Authors: Kalyvas Stathis N.
Published: March 2007

I use a rationalist framework to explore an issue typically framed and understood as irrational: large-scale violence against civilians in the context of civil wars. More specifically, I focus on the massacres of civilians in Algeria and seek to uncover the logic that drives such actions. The main thesis is that these massacres are not irrational instances of random violence motivated by extremist Islamist ideology, as they are typically described in the media; they can be understood instead as part of a rational strategy initiated by the Islamist rebels aiming to maximize civilian support under a particular set of constraints. Mass, yet mostly targeted and selective, terror is used to punish and deter defection by civilians in the context of a particular strategic conjuncture characterized by (a) fragmented and unstable rule, (b) mass civilian defections toward the incumbents and (c) escalation of violence. I check this thesis against the available evidence, address puzzles such as the identity of the victims and the behavior of the army, extend it to similar massacres in other countries, draw a number of implications and discuss a research agenda.
Ethnocentrism in a Pluralistic Society: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Sutherland Leonie L.
Published: March 2007

Development of culturally competent nursing care requires an examination of ethnocentric values and behaviors. Ethnocentric practices, as shown in the literature, have resulted in adverse patient care outcomes. Although it is recognized that awareness of personal values is the key to developing cultural competence, ethnocentrism is woven into the fabric of one’s own cultural makeup. Ethnocentrism is not clearly defined in the nursing literature and use of the term is vague and ambiguous. This article utilizes the Walker and Avant method of concept analysis to clarify the meaning of ethnocentrism resulting in a new definition.
Adult Male Involvement in Reproductive Health: An Ethnographic Study in a Community of São Paulo City, Brazil
Authors: Hoga Luiza A. K. , Alcântara Ana C. , de Lima Vivian M.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this research was to explore the involvement in reproductive health of adult men in a low-income community in São Paulo City, Brazil. The ethnonursing research method was used and data were collected through interviews with seven key and eight general informants. Lack of common sex education was found and informants’ knowledge depended on their own families’ involvement and individual life experience with machismo. Informants’ behaviors and attitudes toward women were constructed by their own male-centered values. Leininger’s culture care modes were used to explain culturally meaningful nursing care actions and decisions.
Care and Cultural Context of Lebanese Muslim Immigrants: Using Leininger's Theory
Authors: Luna Linda
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this ethnonursing study was to describe and analyze the meanings and experiences of care for Lebanese Muslims as influenced by cultural context in selected natural and community settings. Leininger's theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality served as the conceptualizing frame-work for the study. Research questions focused on discovering the meanings and experiences of care as influenced by world view, social structure, and cultural context in the hospital, clinic, and home. Ethnonursing research methods were used with key and general informants in an urban US community. The majority of informants were new immigrants living less than 10 years in the US. Universal themes of care that were similar in the three contexts reflected care as a religious obligation in Islam, care as equal but different gender role responsibilities, and care as individual and collective meanings of honor. This article also presents findings related to gender role responsibilities. Nursing decisions and actions using Leininger's three modes were identified to achieve culturally congruent nursing care.
Transcultural Nursing Study of Emic and Etic Care in the Home
Authors: Pacquiao Dula F. , Archeval Ludovina , Shelley Ellen E.
Published: March 2007

This study describes 18 informants’ experiences with home care by multidisciplinary health care providers using participant observation as research methodology. Study findings support the salience of culture as the context for interpreting, valuing, and defining satisfaction with care. In contrast to hospital care, home care was perceived by informants as enhancing their ability to remain in their valued setting, supportive of their restorative and health maintenance needs. In particular, all informants viewed their home as the milieu that allows for continuity of their lifestyles, family relationships, and cultural values.
The Construction and Reinforcement of Myths of Race and Crime
Authors: ROBINSON MATTHEW
Published: March 2007

Much of what we know about crime is myth. Myths are falsehoods that have become accepted as truth because they have been told and retold over time. Many myths of crime revolve around race. This article documents how myths of crime associated with race are created and reinforced through the criminal justice process and the media. The examination begins with the process of lawmaking, demonstrating how American criminal law creates biases against particular groups and benefits others by creating myths about race and crime. The article then analyzes how portrayal of crime in the mass media and activities of law enforcement, courts, and corrections reinforce myths of race and crime. A model of myth creation and reinforcement is presented, and implications of the model for the American criminal justice system and larger society are discussed.
Organizational Cooptation or Social Change?
Authors: JURIK NANCY C. , BLUMENTHAL JOEL , SMITH BRIAN , PORTILLOS EDWARDO L.
Published: March 2007

This article develops a critical approach to community-criminal justice partnerships. Drawing on case study data from one community partnership program developed by university administrators and staff from a state juvenile corrections department, we explore the strengths and weaknesses of increasingly popular partnership strategies for preventing and reducing crime. This partnership aimed to develop a transitional service center in which university personnel and community members worked with paroled youth in mentoring and community service projects. Through the analysis of the competing goals and implementation struggles in this case, we consider the validity of conflicting positive and negative perspectives on criminal justice partnerships. Our multilevel analysis reveals the innovations and limitations of a partnership approach. We demonstrate that to fully understand both the potential and dangers of partnership models, it is essential to consider the structural, organizational, and interactional levels of a project's emergence and implementation.
Crime and Manipulation of Identity among Russian-Speaking Immigrants in the Netherlands
Authors: SIEGEL DINA , BOVENKERK FRANK
Published: March 2007

This article reports on an ethnographic study of Russian-speaking immigrants in the Netherlands. Using interviews and media accounts, explanations are found for Russian immigrants' choice of the Netherlands as a place to conduct organized crime operations, why criminal proceeds are invested inside the Netherlands, and why there is a prevailing view of consensual organized crime activity as being nonserious. The negative public identity of Russian immigrants and how they have chosen to manipulate their criminal image, rather than contest it, are examined. It has become part of a social process in which a new Russian ethnic identity is constructed.
Attitudes of Citizens in a Southern Rural County toward Juvenile Crime and Justice Issues
Authors: BOULEY EUGENE E. , WELLS TERRY L.
Published: March 2007

This study reports the results of a telephone survey of 387 residents in a southern rural county concerning juvenile crime and justice issues. The study concluded that there are several communities among county residents, not just two based on race. County residents surveyed are willing to support the rehabilitation of juveniles, but there is strong support for punishment. Gangs are considered a very serious problem by a major portion of the county residents. County residents are divided on the purpose of criminal penalties for juveniles and whether to waive juveniles to adult courts.
Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism
Authors: BIBES PATRICIA
Published: March 2007

This article deals with the complex relationships that exist among drug traffickers, insurgent guerrilla groups, paramilitary forces, peasants, and the government's military and police agencies in Colombia and the use of violence and terrorism among them to achieve disparate ends. Colombia was chosen as a case study because of its importance as a key source country for coca leaf and as an incubator for organized crime. The article also focuses on the narco-terrorist nexus, which for years has threatened the sovereignty of the country, and on strategies and institutional initiatives to combat drug production, trafficking, and terrorism.
The Mexican Army as Cartel
Authors: O'DAY PATRICK
Published: March 2007

This article deals with one of the least examined aspects of smuggling along the U.S./Mexico border: the role of the Mexican army as a major player in the traffic of drugs into the United States. It is hoped that this study will help to eliminate a lacuna in our understanding of organized criminal activity south of the border. It will do this by examining the chaotic conditions obtaining along the Mexican side of the border due to the breakup of the Matamoros cartel and the consequent functional necessity of the Mexican Army's stepping in to assure safe and unimpeded drug shipments into the United States. In addition, it will be demonstrated that the antidrug role of the military in combating the drug trade is a necessary adjunct to its role as a major trafficker in drugs. Finally, it will be argued that the administration's policy of ignoring Mexican military corruption as well as its incursions into U.S. territory is counterproductive in terms of effectively curtailing the drug trade, that it lends itself to the militarization of Mexican society, and that ultimately it threatens harmonious international relations with Mexico by encouraging an increasingly aggressive military presence along the U.S. border.
Combating Terrorism on the Corporate Level: The Emergence of Executive Protection Specialists in Private Security
Authors: Davis E. Duane
Published: March 2007

Terrorists attacks have increased dramatically over the past two decades and have targeted Americans with greater frequency. The inability of local, state and federal police agencies to protect individuals most prone to attack, kidnapping and assassination has led to the emergence of a new growth industry in the United States and abroad: The Executive Protection Specialist. This paper will focus on the variables that influence the terrorists' decision to target individuals and corporations rather than governments and the resultant emergence of Executive Protection Specialists within the private security profession. Recruitment and training for this sophisticated new field will be emphasized along with an appraisal of career opportunities that will impact the criminal justice discipline generally and the corporate security field specifically. Also included will be an analysis of the evolving professionalism in this area as the progression from bodyguard to protection specialist is accomplished.
Is the Public Committed to the Imprisonment of Convicted Felons? Citizen Preferences for Reducing Prison Crowding
Authors: Williams J. Sherwood , Johnson Daniel M. , McGrath John H.
Published: March 2007

Some social scientists argue that focused and systematic surveys of public opinion can be of great value to public policy makers. In this paper we illustrate how a public survey might be useful to assist policy makers focusing on the problem of prison crowding. We found that respondents were receptive to two of three alternatives we suggested for reducing crowding in prisons. A state-wide citizen survey found that most respondents (75%) favoredusing community based corrections or shorter sentences (56%) for "non-dangerous" offenders to help reduce prison crowding. Contrary to what some politicians assume, it is clear that the general public is quite "practical" when it comes to dealing with prison crowding and the punishment of many of the minor offenders.
The Mafia and the Devil: What They Have in Common
Authors: Albini Joseph L.
Published: March 2007

The Mafia and the Devil are both found to be the creation and product of a belief in a mythological system. Often, the attendant mythologies are creations of journalists, governmental investigation committees, law enforcementofficials, not based on fact and serve as scapegoats whose true incidence of criminality belies the attention they receive from those who create the myth and a public who would rather stigmatize others than themselves.
The Growth and Development of Tribal Police
Authors: LUNA EILEEN
Published: March 2007

American Indian tribal governments have the opportunity to expand tribal sovereignty subsequent to the passage of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the Indian Self-Governance Act. The legal window created by these acts, coupled with cutbacks in Bureau of Indian Affairs Law Enforcement Services, has created an environment in which tribal governments are developing and expanding tribal law enforcement services. The legal minefield in which tribal governments and law enforcement personnel operate is a complicated one, but one which must be successfully negotiated if tribal sovereignty is to be advanced through the assertion of police authority.
Bias Crime Motivation
Authors: BYERS BRYAN , CRIDER BENJAMIN W. , BIGGERS GREGORY K.
Published: March 2007

This research examines hate crimes against the Amish with a particular focus on offender neutralization techniques that are used after the offenses have been committed to justify and/or rationalize behavior. This social psychological examination of offender neutralizations uses data from in-depth, qualitative interviews conducted with offenders who shed light on how such accounts are used to separate the acts from the responsibility for the behavior. The findings provide insight into examples of and motivations for anti-Amish hate crime, and how offenders attempt to neutralize their behavior.
Detailed Models of Piezoceramic Actuation of Beams
Authors: Crawley Edward F. , Anderson Eric H.
Published: March 2007

In this paper, techniques for modeling induced strain actuation of beam-like components of intelligent structures are developed. Two analytical models and one numer ical model describing the detailed mechanics of induced strain actuators bonded to and embedded in one-dimensional structures are presented. The models illustrate the exten sion, bending, and localized shearing deformations induced. The range of parameters for which the simpler analytic models are valid is also established. The specific characteris tics of one type of induced strain actuator, piezoceramic materials, are discussed, and im plications for practical use of piezoceramic actuators are outlined. Experimental results are used to validate the beam actuation models presented.
Polarization Controlled Ferroelectric High Strain Actuators
Authors: Cross L. Eric
Published: March 2007

The simple phenomenological relation which relates elastic and dielectric properties in an insulating crystalline dielectric takes the form
Static Aeroelastic Control Using Strain Actuated Adaptive Structures
Authors: Lazarus Kenneth B. , Crawley Edward F. , Bohlmann Jonathan D.
Published: March 2007

In this study, the feasibility of using representative box wing adaptive structures for static aeroelastic control is examined. A deformable typical section is uti lized to derive the optimal and suboptimal relations for induced strain actuated adaptive wings, and the relations developed are used to design representative adaptive lifting sur faces which are assessed in trade studies. The optimal relations developed showed that op timal adaptive airfoil designs are possible for some realistic configurations, and effective sub-optimal designs can be achieved for others. In addition, the important parameters associated with inducing curvature and twist, thereby altering the lifting forces on the air foil, are determined. The most important of which were found to be the airfoil thickness ratio, the actuation strain produced by the induced strain actuators, and the relative stiff ness ratio of the actuator to the wing skin for both camber and twist control. The stiffness coupling parameter and the wing aspect ratio were also found to be important for twist control. The potential benefits of using adaptive airfoils for aeroelastic control, rather than conventional articulated control surfaces, is demonstrated in trade studies. It was found that greater control authority along with a lower weight penalty is achievable using adap tive aeroelastic structures for a variety of wing designs. Thus, strain actuated adaptive wings may be used rather than conventional lifting surfaces to increase performance while reducing weight, decreasing loads in critical areas, improving the radar cross section, and maximizing the lift-to-drag ratio for many flight conditions.
Adaptive Characteristics of the Magnetostrictive Alloy, Terfenol-D, for Active Vibration Control
Authors: Goodfriend M.J. , Shoop K.M.
Published: March 2007

The recently developed "Giant" magnetostrictive material, Terfenol-D, has been applied to development of a new class of adaptive actuators for vibration control. Terfenol-D offers the highest strain (ΔL/L > 10-3) and energy density (1.4-2.5 x 104 J/m3) of any commercially available material.
Modelling Intelligent Behavior
Authors: Green H.S. , Triffet T.
Published: March 2007

An introductory discussion of the related concepts of intelligence and consciousness suggests criteria to be met in the modelling of intelligence and the development of intelligent materials. Methods for the modelling of actual structure and activity of the animal cortex have been found, based on present knowledge of the ionic and cellular constitution of the nervous system. These have led to the development of a realistic neural network model, which has been used to study the formation of memory and the process of learning. An account is given of experiments with simple materials which exhibit almost all properties of biological synapses and suggest the possibil ity of a new type of computer architecture to implement an advanced type of artificial intelligence.
Control of Seismic Response of Bridge Structures Using Variable Dampers
Authors: Qing Feng  , Shinozuka Masanobu
Published: March 2007

This study demonstrates, by way of numerical simulation, the potential utility of variable dampers for controlling structural response under seismic loads. Standard control theory is difficult to apply in a straightforward fashion in this case because the equation of motion includes the damping coefficient, which needs to be controlled instantaneously. The equation is nonlinear in the sense that the control uses feedback information involving the structural response itself. A bang- bang control and instantaneous optimal control algorithms are developed to control the damping coefficient. The effects of these control algorithms on the reduction of absolute acceleration of the girder and relative displacement between the girder and piers are examined for girder bridges. Promising results are obtained in reducing seismic responses.
On the Thermodynamics of Chemomechanical Energy Conversion Realised by Neutral Gels
Authors: Zrinyi M. , Horkay F.
Published: March 2007

Chemomechamcal energy conversion exhibited by a gel lever has been studied both theoretically and experimentally. Based on the thermodynamical theory of anisotropic swelling, the effective mechanical work produced, the chemical energy consumed, and the efficiency of conver sion are discussed. The results of model calculations are compared with real experiments performed on water-swollen poly(vinyl alcohol) gels. The mechanical work as well as the free energy change during the process have been determined from experimental data.
Electrochemical Study of Swelling Change of Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) Gels Using Gel-Modified Ultramicroelectrodes
Authors: Watanabe Masayoshi , Tadenuma Yasushi , Ban Megumi , Sanui Kohei , Ogata Naoya
Published: March 2007

Thermosensitive poly( N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gels were chemically modified onto Pt microelectrodes. The modification has been established by chemically introducing vinyl groups onto the electrode surfaces, followed by synthesis of the gels on the surfaces. The gel- modified electrodes were immersed into aqueous solutions containing [Ru(NH3)6]Cl3, and elec trochemical measurements were conducted at various temperatures. Independent determination of the diffusion coefficient and concentration of [Ru(NH3)6]Cl3 in the gels has been achieved by ex ploiting electrochemical methods. The electrochemical response is sensitive to swelling change of the hydrogels. Considerable condensation and suppression in the diffusivity of [Ru(NH3)6]Cl3 were found in the shrunken gels.
An STM Study of Microscopic Function at the Interface of Organic Films
Authors: Ehara S. , Takagi T. , Yoshida T. , Naito H. , Okuda M.
Published: March 2007

In order to create an intelligent material, new func tions attributed to an atomic scale structure have been investigated in this experimental study. Systems consisting of thin organic films on inorganic materials have been examined using a scanning tun neling microscope and tunneling spectroscopy. We have found sev eral interesting phenomena such as nonlinear electrical conduction and negative resistance. A negative resistance was observed in the sample of a perylene thin film evaporated on an HOPG substrate by tunneling spectroscopy. This negative resistance is considered to be due to the tunneling current from the STM probe to the sub strate through a discrete energy level of a molecular orbital of the perylene molecule.
The Pin-Force Model Revisited
Authors: Chaudhry Z. , Rogers C.A.
Published: March 2007

The pin-force model is one of the earliest models developed for beams actuated in bending. In this model, the actuators and substrates are considered as separate elastic bodies and the forces from the actuators are transferred to the substrates by "pins" at the edges of the actuators. Although this model of force transfer is consistent with the assumed perfect bonding scenario, where the shear stress is concentrated in a small area close to the edge of the actuator, it fails to provide the correct structural response for the case where the actuator is relatively thick. In this paper, while retaining the basic features of this model (i.e., treating the actuator and beam as separate bodies), the corrections necessary to upgrade this model to the level of the more accurate Bernoulli-Euler model are presented. The basic difference lies in the appropriate inclusion of the actuator flexural stiffness in the structural moment-curvature equations. Two configurations are considered: one in which the actuators are symmetrically bonded on the surface of the beam and activated out-of-phase, and one in which the actuator is bonded to one side of the beam only. The static beam response equa tions developed for both cases are shown to be identical to those obtained from the more rigorous Bernoulli-Euler model. This work thus forms a bridge between the relatively simple pin-force model and the Bernoulli-Euler model, and illustrates the use of mechanics principles in the treatment of structures with active members such as induced strain actuators.
Small Group Socialization Scale
Authors: Riddle Bruce L. , Anderson Carolyn M. , Martin Matthew M.
Published: March 2007

A Small Group Socialization Scale (SGSS) was developed and tested for reliability and validity. In Study 1, scale items were developed by reviewing research as well as asking group members for open-ended responses regarding fitting in, comfort, certainty, and satisfaction with recent group experiences. Thirty-five items were developed and administered to 445 college student participants. Subsequent reliability and factor analyses resulted in the identification of 14 items reflecting group socialization. In Study 2, the SGSS along with measures of cohesion, consensus, communication satisfaction, and loneliness were administered to 210 small group communication students. Based on acceptable reliability coefficients and correlation coefficients, concurrent validity for the SGSS was demonstrated. Implications for future research are discussed.
Self-Construals, Communication Processes, and Group Outcomes in Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Groups
Authors: Oetzel John G.
Published: March 2007

The objective of this study was to test a theoretical model posited by the author in 1995 that explains the relationships among self-construals (independent and interdependent self-image), communication processes (participation, cooperation, and respect), and outcomes (satisfaction, performance, and withholding effort) in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. Students (N = 189) completed three tasks in a group that varied in composition from homogeneous to heterogeneous in regards to age, gender, and ethnicity. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that (a) self-construals of group members better explained the communication processes used by a small group than did composition, (b) situational interdependent self-construals were associated positively with participation and cooperation, (c) equal participation and respect were related negatively to the degree to which members withhold effort in a group, (d) equal participation and respect were related positively with the level of satisfaction in a group, and (e) cooperation, equal participation, and respect were not related to performance.
An Examination of the Leader’s Regulation of Groups
Authors: Kane Thomas D. , Zaccaro Stephen J. , Tremble Trueman R. , Masuda Aline D.
Published: March 2007

This research used Bandura’s social cognitive framework of self-regulation to examine functional group leadership. Antecedents and outcomes of leader goals and leadership self-efficacy (LSE) were central to this investigation. Leaders were 96 college students who led three-person teams on either a more simple or complex production task. Results indicated that LSE predicted leader goal levels, and together LSE and leader goals predicted task strategies communicated by leaders to group members. Most effects of LSE and leader goals on group outcomes were mediated by leader strategies. In addition, LSE was instrumental to the leader’s maintenance of challenging goals when leaders confronted a complex task. Findings offered general support for extending Bandura’s self-regulation model to group leadership task settings.
The Relationship of Group Process Variables and Team Performance
Authors: Jordan Mark H. , Feild Hubert S. , Armenakis Achilles A.
Published: March 2007

The efficacy of three group process variables—group potency, social cohesion, and team-member exchange—in explaining team performance was examined for 648 military officers working in 50 self-managed teams over a 5-week period. Team performance was assessed on two objective criteria (mental task performance and physical task performance) and one subjective criterion (commander team performance ratings). Each of the group process variables was related to at least one aspect of team performance. Of the three group process variables, group potency exhibited the greatest predictive efficacy as it explained unique variance in team performance over that accounted for by both social cohesion and team-member exchange.
Ideal Cycles of Communication (or Cognitions) in Triads, Dyads, and Individuals
Authors: Tschan Franziska
Published: March 2007

The relationship between the quality of communication cycles and performance was tested for triad and dyads, and the relationship between thought cycles and performance was tested for individuals. High-quality cycles conform to an ideal structure. This means that they start with action preparatory functions (orientation or planning) and end with the evaluation of a behavior performed. It was hypothesized that quality of cycles predicts performance above and beyond other process variables. For triads, a significant amount of additional variance in performance was explained by cycle quality after accounting for the effect of number of cycles communicated and cycle length (Study 1). The main findings are replicated for dyads (Study 2). In Study 3, individual actors performing the same task were asked to think aloud, and the protocols were analyzed in the same manner as group communication. Again, quality of thought cycles was related to higher performance, indicating similar functions of thinking for individual action and of communication for groups.
The Adolescent Peer Group Revisited
Authors: Scheidlinger Saul
Published: March 2007

Although the potent influence of the peer group on the psychosocial development of adolescents is undisputed, most clinical writings on the subject portray it in a one-sided, regressive, and conflictual vem. Using data derived from actual experiences with youth groups and from recent research findings, a more balanced view of adolescent group life is proposed with emphasis on the adaptive and growth- promoting aspects.
Metaphoric Illumination in Groups
Authors: McClure Bud A.
Published: March 2007

This article addresses the role of metaphoric expression in groups, providing a rationale for its therapeutic potential and suggesting methods for illuminating it as a means of understanding and promoting group development. Several case examples are provided.
Role Playing As a Group Intervention
Authors: Cabral Rebecca J.
Published: March 2007

Role playing is an effective intervention technique that has been broadly adapted for use in academic research and applied settings. A classification scheme for organizing these diverse role-playing uses, in terms of intraindividual and intact group change, is presented. Furthermore, it is suggested that research and implementation of role playing would be best served by an interactional perspective.
The Effects Of Group Leadership Style on Counselor Trainees' Personal Functioning
Authors: Fenton Mary Ociepka , Kaczkowski Henry
Published: March 2007

This study examines the effects of three group leadership styles on the personal and interpersonal functioning of 67 counselor trainees who participated in a required group experience in conjunction with a group experience course. Theparticipants were randomly assigned to one of three group conditions: (1) structured T-group, (2) rotating leadership, and (3) Rogerian. Each of the nine groups met approximately 20 hours over the course of the semester. Each subject completed the following instruments: Edward's Personal Preference Schedule, Money Problem Checklist, Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank, and Reaction to Group Situation Test. Results from the pretest, posttest, and 6- to 8-weekfollow-up suggest that differences among the groups could in part be attributed to group leadership styles. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Understanding the Sources of Faulty Group Decision Making
Authors: Hirokawa Randy Y. , Gouran Dennis S. , Martz Amy E.
Published: March 2007

Nearly two years after the Rogers Commission investigation of the Challenger disaster revealed that the decision to launch the shuttle was made in the presence of information questioning the safety of the launch, many continue to ask how NASA officials could make such a highly questionable and regrettable decision. The present essay examines this ques tion and identifies six major factors that exerted an influence on the decision-making pro cess and ultimately led to the launch of the Challenger. These factors include (1) faulty shared beliefs held by Level III decision makers, (2) questionable reasoning displayed by Level II and III decision makers, (3) perceived pressure experienced by Level IV personnel, (4) shift in presumption in favor of the launch, (5) ineffective persuasive attempts by Level IV per sonnel, and (6) use of ambiguous language by Level IV personnel. The essay concludes that the decision to launch the Challenger was the result of a complex interplay among a num ber of cognitive, psychological, and social forces constituting the decision environment.
The Self-Development Project List-90
Authors: Braaten Leif J.
Published: March 2007

Based on empirical data drawn from both clinical client and normal control populations, a new instrument for the measurement of positive goal attainment is devised—the Self-Development Project Check List-90 (SDPL-90). Five factors are derived: interpersonal dependency, interpersonal intimacy, social assertiveness, self-individuation and self-acceptance. Factor analytic data are provided, and alternative models in self-development are conceptually contrasted.